Jaded
by Kirsty Welsh
Summary: Set six weeks after Starsky returns to the streets post SR, eleven months after Gunther. A gang of Chinese drug dealers and a police mole keep life busy for the duo, but are they still up to it? Gunthers men damaged more than Starsky's body. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - I don't own them or make money from them. Beleive me, they're purely for pleasure!**

**Chapter 1**

Running uphill is an overrated pastime. Running full tilt uphill at midday in Bay City in August is about the most stupid thing anyone can do. There again, some might say that cops tend to do stupid things. The cops will answer that if they didn't, then no-one else would. I mean, who in their right mind would be chasing some mad Chinese guy through the streets whilst dodging live fire huh? Who in their right mind would want to face down that same flake when he was finally cornered? Visions of Bruce Lee and Enter the Dragon floated in front of the brunet's eyes as he continued his headlong pursuit across the busy road as cars around him honked their disapproval.

These thoughts ran through Starsky's mind as he powered himself up West Central from the bay and into the city centre. He felt as though his body were melting and the sweat ran down his face to sting at his eyes. That was another stupid thing that cops did. Who else in their right mind would wear a jacket over their tee shirt in 95 degree heat? Most of the girls he passed had tiny vest tops and even tinier hot pants. Most of the men were in shirt sleeves or had tee shirts flapping loose from their shorts. Every single person was wearing sandals of some sort. Only a cop with a holster and gun to cover up would be crazy enough to add layers during the baking summer and only a cop intent on running as fast as he could would wear running shoes……and socks.

Not that any of that really mattered at the moment. The only thing Dave Starsky was intent on was catching the man running ahead of him without getting himself or his partner killed in the process. The gun, his trusty Smith and Wessen was held safely in his left hand ready for when the flake in front of him turned to shoot again.

Behind him and a little to one side, the brunet could hear his partner's footfalls on the sidewalk. Hutch's long legs made his running look effortless, whereas Starsky's shorter legs and windmilling arms gave an untidy appearance. Both men, however ate up the yards as they chased their target through the streets, yelling at passers by to get out of the way and occasionally ducking down behind vehicles or trash cans to avoid stray bullets.

Starsky saw the man in front of him turn suddenly and disappear down an alleyway and at the same time heard a scream and a squeal of brakes behind him. He slowed down long enough to look over his shoulder at the car that had shuddered to a halt inches from a woman and her child in a pushchair. The driver of the car had been rubbernecking and had failed to see the pedestrian and now the woman was ashen faced and shaking and the child was wailing loudly.

'The woman's yours' Starsky shouted over his shoulder.

'Gee, thanks partner. Where're you goin'?' Hutch answered, slowing down.

'Gonna see a man about a …..a……' any clever metaphor escaped Starsky and he shrugged his shoulders. '….oh hell, I'm just gonna go and shoot the bastard.'

Hutch stopped and bent over to catch his breath before turning back to the pedestrian and the driver. 'Play nice' he shouted to his partner as Starsky's body hurtled around the corner and out of sight.

'Play nice!' Starsky muttered under his breath as he recommenced his chase. 'I'll show the flake how to play nice!'

This was the first time Starsky had ever seen his opponent up close and personal. For three months now he and Hutch had been laying low and watching the Red Dragon Gang that had moved into the Bay area and set up their operations.

The trade of drugs has existed for as long as the drugs themselves have existed. However, the trade of drugs was fully legal until the introduction of drug prohibition. The history of the illegal drug trade is closely tied to the history of drug prohibition. In the First Opium War, the United Kingdom forced China to allow British merchants to trade in opium with the general population of China. Although illegal by imperial decree, smoking opium had become common in the 1800s due to increasing importation via British merchants. Trading in opium was extremely lucrative. As a result of the trade an estimated two million Chinese people became addicted to the drug. By the end of the middle of the 1900s opium and opium derivatives like heroin were 'enjoyed' by so many in America that the cops were kept ultra busy trying to stem the tide of importation. By 1975 Starsky and Hutch spent as much time dealing with drug related crimes as homicides. With the east coast of America being the first land mass after China, the Chinese population was growing exponentially. Not that all Chinese were drug runners. For the most part, they came to America like any other immigrant – wanting a slice of the American dream. Only the small minority caused the cops this much trouble.

The Red Dragon gang had, since it's set up in Bay City been responsible for three deaths and one man beaten so badly that he would never walk or talk again. That, on top of who knew how many kilos of heroin brought illegally into the country meant that the gang was very much on the BCPD's radar, and on Starsky and Hutch's in particular. The two detectives had laid low and had watched. Quietly and with the minimum of fuss, they had garnered together their information and had been ready to go in for the kill – until another body had been found in the bay and Hutch's eagle eyes had seen Mu Yong Lin (or Kim to his friends and business associates) walking nonchalantly up the street.

Kim was the leader of the gang. The Red Dragons had laid low in Bay City since their arrival and seemed unaware that the cops were onto their operation. The headquarters of the gang, so far as Starsky and Hutch had been able to tell was a Chinese Restaurant on one of the better downtown streets, owned and run by Kim's parents. From the business operation there was little clue as to what the restaurant hid, in fact, so good was the cover that neither cop knew for sure whether Kim's parents actually knew what their son was up to. Undercover cops had been sent in to eat there and had come back to report that the food was excellent, the waitresses were to die for (in that petite Asian way) and the two older Chinese owners spoke little or no English but cooked divinely. At no time did any of the undercover cops see Kim or any other suspect do anything other than seat customers and wait tables. Yet the Red Dragons continued to operate and Starsky and Hutch continued to watch, count the bodies and plan their next moves until that one fateful afternoon.

The chase, once Hutch saw Kim running, had most definitely been on and neither cop had had time to formally call it in. Now with Hutch back there playing traffic control and with no other back up called for, Starsky was very much on his own. A tiny icicle of fear pushed at the brunet's consciousness, right before Starsky took it and crumpled it and ignored it completely. Dave Starsky was mad with a capital M and no amount of urges to caution was going to stop him from getting his man. With a skid of his sneakered feet against the hard concrete of the sidewalk, the cop shot around the corner of the alleyway and saw his target slowing as he came up against a dead end. The end of the alley was blocked by a high brick wall.

Bringing himself to a juddering halt. Starsky bent his knees in a classic firing stance, clasped his gun in both hands and pointed it skywards. 'Police, freeze!' he yelled down the confines of the alley. As usual the shout had little effect and Kim merely turned at the end of the dead end and faced the curly haired cop with an open sneer on his face.

Very cautiously Starsky started to walk towards the Chinese man. There was nowhere for Kim to go. The wall at the end of the alley was maybe ten feet high with razor wire across the top and yet a cornered prey is a dangerous prey and having read the reports, Starsky knew Kim was not just a pretty face. He was a typical young Chinese American who had embraced the more aggressive parts of his culture and was a black belt in some unpronounceable form of martial art.

So, as Starsky started to walk up the confines of the alley towards the young Chinese, he had his gun still clasped in both hands with the muzzle pointing at the ground, ready, should the need arise.

'Eat dirt' Starsky shouted as he got closer to his quarry. 'On the ground now and lace your hands behind your head.'

Kim stood stock still with a look on his face that told Starsky that he was going to do nothing of the sort. It was the sort of look a man who was comfortable with his own skills would give and something low in Starsky's belly gave a small flip of apprehension. The younger man stood slightly sideways to Starsky, his hands relaxed and resting at his sides, but his eyes never left the cop and there was a calculating look in his eyes. Starsky tried again.

'Look punk. There's nowhere to run, just give it up, get down on the ground and I'll be happy. I'll just stand over here being happy till my partner arrives, huh?'

Again Starsky's words met silence and he sighed, wishing Hutch would arrive quickly and suddenly feeling out of his depth. As he squared off to the younger man, Kim changed stance. He brought up his hands to ball them into loose fists in front of his chest and his knees bent so that he looked ready for a fight.

'You don't wanna do this. Look, we both know why we're here. Make it easy huh? Why fight? We just wanna talk to ya' Starsky said reasonably.

'Talking's for losers' Kim muttered and flicked his fingers at the cop in a universal sign inviting the older man to come play. Starsky's fear subsided to be replaced by anger. Most things he could deal with these days. After his brush with death at the hands of James Gunther's goons his temper had become a tamer beast but there was nothing like an open display of defiance to bring it boiling to the surface.

'I think I misheard. I thought you just called me a loser' the brunet ground out.

Kim grinned. 'If the cap fits…..'

Starsky leapt forwards, all thoughts of waiting for Hutch disappearing out of his mind as he grabbed the Chinese man by the shoulders and spun him around until Kim was facing the wall. The brunet slammed the body in front of him against the rough stonework and held one hand against Kim's spine as the other one fumbled for his handcuffs.

In the blink of an eye Kim changed from docile prisoner to the red dragon his gang was named for. Taking Starsky completely by surprise, the younger man pushed back against Starsky's hand, whirled and brought his right leg around in a perfect arc high up at waist level, knocking Starsky's gun from his hand. As the brunet's hand was knocked sideways he lost his balance and fell to one side, righting himself just in time to feel Kim's foot slam into his face.

Starsky righted himself, spitting blood out onto the ground. He felt dizzy and sick and just a little stupid for starting the fight before he had Hutch's back up, but he'd chosen his own path now and he aimed to finish what he'd started.

The gun lay a couple of yards away from the brunet's foot. Starsky eyed it just as Kim too looked at it. There was one of those moments in time, one of those freeze frame moments when a film director would have panned from one set of eyes to the other. Kim and Starsky were locked in that freeze frame for little more than a second and yet that second seemed to last an eternity until with difficulty Starsky launched himself towards the weapon and Kim kicked it out of the way, his body following the kick so that he fell to the ground inches from the curly haired cop. Instantly Kim was straddling Starsky's body, his hands reaching for Starsky's throat and equally as fast the brunet grasped Kim's wrists, using all his strength to keep the murderous hands away from him.

'You should go back to your station right now old timer. You have no idea who you're messing with' Kim grinned down at him.

Whether it was being called an "old timer" at the ripe old age of 34, or whether it was the sheer fact that Kim was quicker and stronger than him Starsky had no idea but as Kim said the words, Starsky's grip failed and suddenly the hands were around his throat, squeezing the breath from his body.

With a determined effort, Starsky garnered all his strength and arched his spine before bringing his knee up and into Kim's back. It was not a telling blow but the surprise registered on Kim's face and the grip around the cop's throat slackened just enough for Starsky to prize the hands away. The two men rolled over and over on the ground trying for the upper hand.

'Old timer huh?' Starsky grunted.

'You think you can take me?' Kim grinned.

'I'll die tryin'.'

'That can so easily be arranged' the young Chinese ground out and in an instant was on his feet, towering over Starsky before the cop had time to see where his adversary had gone. A foot connected with the side of Starsky's head, whipping his neck sideways. The other foot came from the other direction and echoed the move so that Starsky lost all sense of direction and a high pitched squealing noise started up in his ears. Starsky brought his hands up to his head as protection. He could think of nothing else to do to protect himself and he thought he heard Kim growling at him to back off his operation and leave them alone. Another foot came at him and this time Starsky managed to deflect the blow so that it caught him on his shoulder rather than on the side of his head. He rolled over onto his stomach and lay there, spent as the blows rained down over him until a shot rang out into the air.

Kim stopped immediately. Suddenly there were just no more feet flying around his ears and Starsky lay in silence, pierced only by the incessant whistling inside his head. Another shot rang out and in the distance he thought he heard Hutch yelling although over the whistling it was difficult to tell. Eventually Starsky managed to look up just in time to see Kim make an almost impossible vault over the ten foot high wall across the end of the alleyway. He levered himself up onto his hands and knees just as Hutch skittered to a halt besides him.

'Huh?' he asked as he saw Hutch's lips move. There was no sound other than a muffled fuzz and he shook his head slowly from side to side.

'I said are you ok?' Hutch repeated. Starsky managed to catch the vowels but not much of the consonants in the words. The muffled whistling seemed to override all the other sounds.

'Yeah. The punk jumped me and then ran.'

'Looked like he did a job on you before he ran' Hutch said, his hands holding onto Starsky's shoulders as his partner got shakily to his feet. The world took a distinct dip to the left and Starsky started to fall again but righted himself against the wall. 'Starsk we need to get you checked out at the hospital.'

'Why? For a few scratches?' Starsky huffed. 'I'm fine. Aint nuthin but my pride been hurt.'

'You're bleedin'.'

'Yeah I am. Funny that, but I've found that a size 12 in your face often has that effect. I said I'm fine. I just need to sit down and have a cup of coffee somewhere, preferably not in public.'

Hutch grunted softly. He knew Starsky was truly hurt when his partner started to get sarcastic but he also knew that Starsky would never go to hospital unless he was unconscious first. As the smaller man seemed to be walking and talking ok, Hutch let it go. He picked up the Smith and Wesson from the ground, handed it back to Starsky and started to make his way back out of the alley. Starsky started to follow although he felt as though the ground beneath his feet was falling away to the left all the time and the annoying whistling in his ear was getting louder and not softer. He raised his hand and poked at his ear with his finger. It came back with a pink tinge of blood on the end of it and for a second Starsky felt sick.

'You comin'?' Hutch shouted from the mouth of the alley, although it sounded to Starsky more like "oo omin".

The brunet nodded, plastered his best innocent face on and followed on wobbly legs as Hutch rounded the corner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hutch plodded his way back to the car through the streets. Behind him, Starsky tried to keep up although he felt dizzy and sick and twice he stumbled so that he had to keep a hold of the wall to keep himself upright. It was as though he'd drunk too much tequila at Huggy's and his eyes seemed unfocussed and blurry. But it was the constant whistling in his left ear that annoyed the brunet more than anything else. The sensation was as though someone had stuck a wax earplug into his ear and was then trying to play music through it. Starsky heard the world through a blur of white noise as though he'd been to a rock concert and the music had been too loud. Something deep down inside him told him he may have done something serious to his hearing. Something else argued that once the medics had you, they never let go. It was the lesser of two evils and the whistling won out fair and square.

Eventually back at the car, the brunet eased himself into the passenger seat, thankful for once that they were in Hutch's car and not his own. After the drunken progress back down West Central, he didn't think he was in any shape to drive back to the Metro.

'Own own?' Hutch seemed to mumble.

'Huh?'

Hutch turned to his buddy and was about to ask some sarcastic question when he spotted a small smear of blood by Starsky's left earlobe. He turned in his seat and took a proper look at his partner for the first time. Starsky had a cut across his left cheek bone and his left eye was swelling shut and blossoming into a pale shade of bruise. The rightt cheek was swollen down most of the side of the brunet's face and although not cut, it too showed a blue bruise appearing. A split lip completed the mess that was Starsky's face.

'I said do we go down town?' Hutch said a little louder.

'Oh, yeah. I guess so.'

'Starsk, are you sure you're ok?'

Starsky nodded a little too vigorously and grabbed for the dashboard to stop the world from spinning. 'Yeah' he mumbled.

'You look like shit and you're whiter than a blizzard. Maybe you should get checked out at the hospital.'

'I said I'm fine. Stop doin' the mother hen thing huh? I got knocked about that's all.'

'There's no sense in taking chances.'

'Huh?' Starsky wrinkled his brow, concentrating on Hutch's lips as they moved.

'You can't hear me, can ya?'

'Can too.'

Hutch covered his mouth with his hand. 'Then tell me what I'm sayin'.'

Starsky frowned. 'Oh hah di hah. Fine! So my hearin's a little off. Ok? Satisfied?'

'It's not a competition Starsk, I'm worried. He worked some number on ya back there.'

'He took me by surprise, that's all. I could've taken him' Starsky said loudly. The sound of his own voice in his ears sounded odd and the feeling of nausea seemed to be intensifying, but it was the anger that some young whippersnapper had beaten the shit out of him that had Starsky all bent over. 'I don't need no hospital and I don't need you worrying for me ok? I'm fine, and before you make me, I promise that I'll tell you if it gets worse.'

Hutch nodded, knowing that was as good as it was likely to get. He put the key in the ignition and was about to turn on the engine when the brunet put his hand out and rested it on Hutch's arm.

'Hutch?'

'Yeah?'

'Don't tell Dobey.'

The blond smiled. The tone in his partner's voice was like that of a little boy asking that his friend didn't tell him Mom he'd done something wrong. Hutch sighed. 'If you can stand upright and lip read Dobey, I promise I won't breathe a word. Deal?'

'Heal? Course it'll heal.'

The blond shook his head and put the car in motion. 'I rest my case' he muttered as he drove downtown to the Metro.

By the time Hutch had parked up Starsky had gathered his anger around him like a protective cloak. No tiny Asian guy was going to get the better of him and he was about to say that to Hutch whilst he opened the door and got out of the car. That movement however proved a little too problematic and it took all the brunet's self control to keep upright and to keep the contents of his stomach safely where they belonged. Starsky took a deep breath and followed Hutch inside the large grey stone building, defying the blond to utter those immortal words "I told you so".

The two men took the stairs as usual to the first floor of the Metro. At the top of the stairs, Caplan, one of the newer detectives to the team was talking with his partner Martin. Both men looked up and Caplan whistled low.

'Wow Starsk. Who did the number on ya?'

Starsky touched his hand to his face and slapped a smile on his lips. 'This? This is nuthin. You should've seen the other guy' he grinned.

'I bet! Was he in the hospital when you left?' Caplan asked seriously.

'Huh? Oh well…..'

'We gotta dash. Date with Dobey' Hutch cut in and pulled his partner past the two men. 'Ya should've seen the other guy' he mimicked angrily. 'Starsk, there wasn't a mark on the other guy! He was just…..'

'If you say younger I'm not gonna be happy' Starsky mumbled, grabbed at his stomach and rushed for the bathroom. Hutch thought of following, but decided his partner would prefer privacy for his assignation with the john. He walked off up the corridor and into the squad room.

Most of the team were out working the streets at that time of day. Only two other detectives were in, working on mountains of paperwork as Hutch pushed open the swing doors and headed for the coffee machine in the corner. He poured two cups, expecting Starsky to arrive at any moment but when, after five minutes there was still no sign of the brunet, he put his mug down on his desk and meandered down the hallway, pushing open the door to the bathroom.

Starsky was bending over the wash basin splashing cold water onto his face. As he looked up Hutch gave an involuntary gasp. Starsky's left eye had now swollen closed and a blue bruise coloured the whole of the side of his face. Starsky's eyes held a far away look in them and he was white as a sheet beneath the bruising. All feelings of anger at the smaller man fled as Hutch took Starsky's face in his hands and looked into the indigo eyes.

Carefully he pulled Starsky up straight and held a hand up in front of the curly haired cop's eyes. 'How many fingers do you see?'

Starsky concentrated and decided Hutch had just asked him how many fingers, although the words were mumbled and indistinct. 'Sixteen' he muttered and swayed against the porcelain.

'Funny! I'm serious Starsk. If you can't get your act together you need help. Dobey wants us so you'd better make it look good, unless you want a trip to Memorial.'

The brunet turned back to the mirror above the basin. He was still pale but with a few more splashes of water and a brisk towelling he thought he could pass for normal and the sickly feeling had gone from the pit of his stomach. He took some deep breaths, ran his fingers through his curls and indicated the door. 'I told ya, I don't need no Doc stickin' me with needles. I'm good to go. Lead on.'

Hutch shrugged his shoulders, realising it was no use arguing any more. Once Starsky's mind was made up, it was pointless to argue further. The two men walked back up the hallway, paused outside the door to Dobey's office and then opened it without knocking. They walked in as the big black man looked up and were just in time to see the frown glide into place across Dobey's countenance.

'What the hell?' Dobey took in the wreckage of Starsky's face with one glance.

'It's a long story Cap'n' Hutch started until Dobey shouted him down.

'And there had better be a damned good explanation Hutchinson. I just got off of the phone with Wei Ling Mu. He's the hot shot Chinese lawyer hired by Kim and his cronies in the Red Dragons. He says you were harassing his client and that he wants it to stop. He says Kim is seriously injured after your fight and he's had a tough time persuading him that in the interests of keeping the peace, he shouldn't sue your ass off for personal injuries.'

Starsky stared open mouthed and for once was lost for words. He hadn't caught all that Dobey had said, but he'd heard sufficient to allow the anger to bubble back up to the surface. Half of him – the part that was self protection- wanted to tell Dobey that the Chinese guy had walked away without a scratch on him. And yet the other half –the one that was tough LA cop- wanted to tell Dobey that Kim had got what he deserved. In the end, for once Starsky erred on the side of caution and merely kept his mouth closed.

'Is that it? No fancy excuse? No tall story?' Dobey yelled.

'Nope.' At least Dobey shouting meant that Starsky could hear every word.

'Then you agree you chased after Kim?'

'Yup.'

'Why? Doesn't three months work mean anything to ya? Three solid months of getting information together, getting in extra men, laying low and waiting for the right moment? What the fuck are you doing chasing after our prime suspect without just cause, or at least a warrant? And why? What's had he done today of all days? Jay walked?'

'We thought we could take him Cap'n, obviously we were wrong.'

'Is that wrong with a capital W Hutchinson? What is it about you two? You think you can take on the world single handed? Well let me tell you, if we lose this thread, if this operation goes belly up, you're gonna be busted back to patrol men and you're gonna be on traffic for the rest of your naturals. Have ya got that?'

'Loud and clear Cap'n, but if we could just…..' Hutch started to try to explain but Dobey gave him one of his special looks.

'I don't want to hear it Hutchinson. Just get out and stay out.'

'But….' The blond ducked as a file came flying through the air at him. He closed his mouth quickly.

'And get him checked over at the hospital. If Kim is as bad as Starsky, then Wei Lin Mu has more than a case against us.'

Starsky started to say something and the look in the indigo eyes told Hutch is wasn't going to be a compliment. He took a hold of his partner by the arm and pulled him towards the door and for once Starsky didn't object. He allowed himself to be steered out of Dobey's office and onto his chair in the corner. Hutch slammed his partner's ass down onto the hard plastic, thumped a mug of coffee in front of the brunet and walked around to his side of the desk. As he sat down he heard a low whistle from the other side of the room.

'Sergeant, are you ok?' Boone, a younger and eager detective who was fairly new to the department got out of his seat and walked across the office. His partner, an older man called Patterdale made a noise low down in his throat. 'Leave it Joe. Starsky likes to speak with his fists.'

'Shuddup Pat' Starsky snarled. There was no love lost between the two men but usually they were content to ignore each other.

Joe Boone came to stand in front of the curly haired cop. 'What happened?' he asked quietly. 'Can I get you anything? You should get an ice pack for those bruises.'

'Hey Hutch, we got a regular Dr Kildare here' Starsky grinned. 'It's ok Joe. Hutch can do all the cluckin' I need right now.'

'Yeah, but….. hey you should go to the hospital. Those cuts look really bad.'

'We've done the hospital routine. I'm fine. I don't need a hospital. I need a drink….and some food.'

'Can I get ya….'

Starsky held up his hand. 'Boone, no offence, but I have Hutch to coddle me and he don't need a back up. It's kind and all that, but just back off huh?'

The younger man nodded quickly. 'Sure thing Starsky. I was only trying to…. Well, I just wanted to help. But like ya say, you've got Hutch. You just need to be careful. I mean, you get past a certain time of life and you don't heal as fast, you know?'

Starsky looked up just as Hutch spluttered, turned it into a passable cough and buried his nose into his coffee cup. 'What's that s'posed to mean?' Starsky growled.

Boone's innocent looking face gazed back, unawares of what he'd just said. 'I mean after your….. well after the shooting I heard about last year…. And you're um…. Well….'

Hutch interrupted. 'I'd quit while the going's good kid. Starsk will be fine, I'll see to that. But thanks for your concern.'

Boone nodded and walked back to his desk.

'He got what he deserved' Patterdale muttered. 'And don't even try to help. They're a closed shop, them two.'

'You mean they're……together?' Boone asked, his eyes wide.

'As in gay?' Patterdale's voice became lower. 'There's rumours. You just watch 'em kid. If they aint gay, then there's somethin' not natural about how they behave.'

Fortunately Starsky's hearing was still not up to picking up on Boone and Patterdale's conversation. He was busy trying to ignore the whistling in his ear and the pains down the side of his face. They niggled at him, as did the fact that for the second time that day someone had mentioned that maybe he wasn't in the first flush of youth any more. Maybe a few hours in the gym with Hutch might not be a bad thing. He'd never worked out in his life. He'd abused his body with junk food and drinking binges at Huggy's. He'd partied hard and had fought hard and he could still get in the jeans he'd had when he was 24, and yet….. he'd lost the fight today.

The anger bubbled under the surface again. Anger at Kim for making him feel such a fool. Powerless. That was how he'd felt coming up against the martial arts expert. Powerless and defenceless and he was unaccustomed to it.

As was usual with Starsky when he met a problem that scared him, he decided there and then to face it head on. Without further ado, the brunet got up from his desk and slung his jacket over his shoulder. Hutch looked up from his report.

'Are ya calling it a day?'

'Uh huh.'

'Want a ride home?'

'Nope. Not goin' home.'

Feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer too much Hutch put down his pencil and sat back in his chair. 'Where are you going?'

'I'm hungry.'

'Oh, great. Where do you want to eat? There's a great new vege….'

Starsky grinned as he started to walk out of the office. 'No vegetarian Blondie. I have a taste for Chinese.'

'Oh now Starsk….Starsky, wait up' Hutch muttered as he grabbed his jacket and followed his partner out of the squad room. Behind him Boone looked up.

'Are they always like that?' the younger man asked.

'Oh yeah' Patterdale grunted. 'Fuckin' saints them two.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The Royal Pheonix Restaurant stood at the corner of Central and Wilshire. It was an imposing building made of grey stone although the sombre effect of the building material was heightened by the tasteful neon sign outside proclaiming the name in red, the scarlet awnings over the windows and the huge red and gold phoenix emblazoned over the front doors. Those doors were glazed with that frosted glass which means that those inside can look out, but curious passers by cannot see the diners enjoying their dinners. The front door was also decorated by two large doormen wearing black silk loose tops with a high mandarin collars and matching loose black silk pants. They looked like a cross between martial artists and men coming home from a fancy dress parade. They also looked muscle bound and well able to take care of themselves.

There was valet parking in that area of town. It was the very centre of the city and busy even at 9.30 in the evening and yet Starsky hated valet parking. Not only did he hate the fact he would have to pay someone to take his car to the lot, he also hated the thoughts of someone else driving his new, shiny, black car –his pride and joy since the Torino had been shot to death. Driving past the valet station, the brunet swung down a side street, pulled into a "no parking" zone and slapped his mars light on top of the car.

'You'll get a ticket' Hutch said evenly.

'I'd like to see 'em try. This is police business.'

'What happened to "I'm hungry and I have a taste for Chinese?'

Starsky shrugged his shoulders. 'It was true! When did you ever know me not to be hungry?'

Hutch snorted. 'When you put it that way, never.'

'So, we go in, enjoy a meal and do some undercover police work. A nice twofer. Neat huh?'

The blond got out of the car and slammed the door closed. 'It's neat so long as all we do is eat and observe. You saw the state Dobey was in. If he even suspects you've been snooping around Kim he's gonna bust you down to patrolman. You heard him, and this time I believe him.'

Starsky grinned. 'He loves us. He wouldn't do that. And besides. I don't "snoop". I have never "snooped". I may poke around occasionally. I've been known to spy once or twice, but I never snoop.' The brunet watched for a gap in traffic, darted across the road and stood waiting for his partner to catch up.

'Doesn't snoop' Hutch muttered. 'Doesn't snoop my ass. Hutch, what're ya doin' following the crazy curly guy again? You're gonna regret it.'

'Regret what?' Starsky asked as Hutch joined him on the sidewalk.

Hutch looked up innocently. 'I see your hearing is improving. I said I'll regret not trying the wontons. I hear they're to die for' he smiled as he followed Starsky around the corner.

It was an effort getting onto the Royal Pheonix. The first hurdle was the two doormen who looked even larger up close. It took a little time to convince them that Starsky meant no trouble because anyone who wanted into the restaurant and sported a black eye, cuts on his face and a swollen cheek seemed unlikely to want to enjoy a meal. It was Hutch who finally persuaded them that all they wanted was a number 24 and fried rice.

The two cops walked into the cool air conditioned interior of the restaurant. It was tastefully decorated in black lacquer with white walls and golden Chinese symbols on the walls. The tables and chairs were made out of some sort of black wood and the table linen was plain, sparkling white with red napkins. Above, and suspended from the ceiling, a huge electric fan spun slowly making the peacock feather arrangement by the door waft lazily in the breeze. The air was redolent with the smells of the food and Starsky's stomach rumbled loudly.

Just inside the front door, and a little to one side stood a maitre table and behind it stood a big black guy wearing a traditional European style lounge suit in black, accompanied by a white shirt and scarlet tie. He looked incongruous amongst the overtly Asian décor and he seemed bored, until one looked carefully and saw that his eyes darted around the room ceaselessly before resting back at his station and on his companion. There was also a girl, flicking through the pages of a diary as she checked out the bookings for the night. She looked up as the two new customers walked in and did a double take of Starsky's face. She regained her composure quickly.

'Good evening. Welcome to the Royal Pheonix. Is it a table for two, gentlemen?' she asked and there was hardly a hint of an accent to her voice.

'Um….yeah…..yeah, table for two' Hutch said, his eyes never leaving the girl's. She smiled, picked up two menus and walked away. As if drawn by magnets, the two detectives followed.

The girl was slim. No, strike that, she was waiflike thin and tiny, standing no more than five feet tall. Her long black hair was held high in a tight pony tail which cascaded down her back and accentuated her high cheekbones and almond shaped deep green eyes. She'd been marked at birth as special by her parents because of those eyes and the name they chose for her reflected that. The name on her badge, attached to the front of her very tight traditional white and gold Chinese dress read "Jade".

Starsky tore his eyes away from the girl for just long enough to look around the rest of the large room. It was lit by candles and dim electric lights. There were tables arranged around the centre of the room and booths around the outside and in one of those booths, across the other side of the room by the doors to the kitchen, a small group of four Chinese men huddled across the table, intent on some conversation.

Starsky stopped by a vacant booth opposite that occupied by the group. 'Um….Miss? Could we take this booth please?'

Jade turned. 'Of course' she said, waiting until both men were seated before handing them their menus. 'The special tonight is duck in a plum sauce and I'll send the waiter along shortly to take your order.'

'Couldn't you come back yourself?' Starsky asked, turning the full force of his eyes onto the girl. She had the grace to blush and giggled, her hand up to her mouth in a mannerism that some could have called coy. For Starsky, the move caused something to flip low down in his belly and he rested his chin on his hand as he held her gaze.

'Please?' he asked quietly.

'I um…..I'll see what I can do' Jade said quickly and walked away, feeling the pressure of those indigo eyes on her back. Starsky gazed after her until a clicking sound brought him back from his dreams.

Hutch flicked his fingers under his partner's nose. 'Is that what you call undercover police work?' the blond asked innocently. 'I don't recall flirting 101 at the Academy.'

'101? I graduated with honours!' The curly haired cop picked up the menu and pretended to look at it. His eyes, however hovered somewhere above the edge of the print, seeming to gaze into mid space. Hutch watched him closely.

'Not hungry?' he asked.

'Distracted.'

The blond man started to turn and Starsky shook his head. Hutch raised a questioning eyebrow. 'Company?'

'Uh huh. Booth near the kitchen. Don't turn around.'

Hutch sighed. 'How many?'

'Four.'

'Including Kim?'

A nod.

'Have they seen us?'

'If they have, then they aren't lettin' it show.' Starsky went back to his menu as Jade walked back over to the table, a pad of paper in her hand.

'Would you like to order?' she asked.

Starsky put the menu down. 'What's good?'

'The special? Duck in plum sauce with rice.'

'Sounds great. Can I get that with a beer? And maybe a kiss later?'

Jade giggled again, wrote on her pad and turned to Hutch. 'And for you?'

The blond man seemed to be lost in his own thoughts although his eyes never left the girl. Jade tried again. 'Sir?'

Hutch shook himself. He too was feeling wobbly things low down in his belly at the sight of such a petite body clad in skin tight satin. Jade seemed unaware of her effect on the men and that made her even more alluring. 'Huh? Oh um, yeah. Sorry. What was the question?'

Starsky snickered. 'Excuse him sweetheart. They only let him out on special occasions. He'll have the special too, and um….' He reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips and breathing a kiss over his knuckles. 'When do you get off work?'

'I don't. I'm kind of live in' she replied, extracting her hand carefully from Starsky's grasp. Jade walked away but paused just long enough to look over her shoulders at the two handsome men. Across the room the four Chinese men stopped their conversation and watched the detectives. Starsky pointedly ignored them whilst still keeping a watch from the corner of his eye. He went back to his conversation with Hutch although if asked, he'd have been able to tell the blond everything that was going on in that corner booth.

Five minutes later a waiter dressed in the ubiquitous black silk pyjama type suit walked over with a huge platter covered by one of those silver dome effects that covers a meal and keeps it warm. He stopped by Starsky and Hutch's table.

'Compliments of the management' he said and laid the platter down on the white table cloth. Starsky raised his eyebrows, waited until the waiter had gone and lifted the silver dome. There, on the platter was a large raw steak and a piece of paper, carefully folded in two. The brunet reached for it and opened it. He read it and tossed it over to Hutch.

_Put this on your eye and eat quickly. Today was a warning. Don't mess with us._

'Friendly little note.'

Starsky nodded. 'And so cute that they're concerned for my wellbeing' he muttered wryly.

'You wanna go now?' Hutch asked.

'No, I want duck in plum sauce and maybe Jade's number.'

'Jeez, you're such a Romeo. Do they look like they're gonna make a move?'

The brunet's eyes casually flicked over to the corner again. The four Chinese men seemed deep in conversation. 'No. they're talkin'.'

'Does it look like they're gonna stay that way?'

Starsky grinned. 'Who knows? Dinner's here. Eat up, we might need our strength for later.'

'I thought you said they didn't look like they were gonna make a move.' Hutch asked.

'They don't. I was talkin' about getting' Jade's number!'

The two detectives ate quietly. The food was excellent, the duck meltingly soft and succulent and the sauce perfectly sweet and sour. By the end of it, Hutch had almost forgotten why they were in the restaurant and Starsky had relaxed enough to keep up his flirting with the tiny waitress. As she brought the menu for desert he tried once again to engage her in conversation, keeping his voice low so that she had to stoop closer to hear him above the gentle hubbub of the other diners. He flirted, she giggled, took their desert order and walked away, but as she got level with the booth close to the kitchen, Kim shot out his hand and pulled Jade towards him. The girl flinched and tried to pull away angrily but Kim held on, his face ugly with anger as he rattled heated Chinese at her. She shook her head, replied hotly and stalked off to the kitchen as Starsky watched. Kim looked over at the brunet and smiled once, his hand coming up to swipe one finger over his throat –a universal signal transcended the language barrier. The move implied that if Starsky talked to the girl again, he would regret it.

The brunet rose to the challenge.

Jade did not serve them their desert. In fact Jade did not appear again before they left although both men watched for her. Silently they paid the bill and pushed through the double glass doors back into the hot Californian night. At the doors, Hutch paused, causing Starsky to walk into him.

'What?' the smaller man asked.

'Nothing.'

'Sumthin. What?'

Hutch shrugged his shoulders. 'I thought I saw a familiar car pull away.'

'From the restaurant? Who's?'

'I can't be sure, but I thought I saw Patterdale.'

'Patterdale as in Clay Patterdale from our office?'

'Uh huh.'

'Well even he needs some down time. Was Emily with him?'

Hutch shook his head. 'Didn't see anyone else in the car, he drove off too fast. It was as if he saw us and went.'

Starsky grinned. 'Well you know how much he loves us' he said and set off walking down the block towards the place he'd parked the car. As Hutch started to follow, he looked back over his shoulder and picked up his pace to catch up with his partner.

'Don't look around, but we've got company.'

Starsky slowed a little, but kept walking. 'Big company?'

'Built like a brick outhouse company.'

'Aww shit. Why can't we just have a nice evening out on the town, snooping and eating.'

Hutch snorted. 'You said you never snooped.'

'You got me there. How many?'

'Two that I saw.'

Starsky dropped his voice. 'Are they armed?'

'When you're that size, who needs a gun?'

The brunet stopped. 'You know I'm tired of this already.' He whirled and faced the two doormen from the Royal Pheonix. 'Guys, no offence, but me an' my partner don't want any trouble so just back off and we'll get outa your hair.'

The two mountains of muscle smiled and kept on coming.

Starsky sighed dramatically and by his side Hutch watched the brunet's left shoulder tense. He knew automatically that Starsky was going for his gun and he also knew it was a bad thing to do. As Starsky's left hand started to bring out the Smith and Wesson, Hutch launched himself at Starsky's hand, trying to keep the brunet from drawing completely. Starsky gave a small yip of surprise as Hutch's hand got in the way and as the blond's arm started it's downwards arc to knock the gun away there was a loud report from the weapon and Hutch gave a guttural yell, clutching at his forearm.

The guards from the door melted away as passers by stood back from the two detectives, unsure what was going on.

Starsky's eyes were wide as soup plates as he lowered Hutch to the ground and knelt by his side. 'What the fuck were you doing?' he hissed, trying to prize Hutch's hand away from his forearm.

'Gettin' shot by my best friend' the blond managed to grind out through clenched teeth.'

'Here, let me look' Starsky said gently and took his first look at the damage. His bullet had cut a neat channel through the fleshy part of Hutch's forearm. The heat of the slug had charred the edges of the wound and helped to stem the bleeding, but Hutch looked white as a sheet and was obviously in shock. 'It's just a scratch' Starsky said, folding his partner's arm in against Hutch's chest.

'Easy for you to say' Hutch replied. His voice was breathy and held an edge of pain to it but he held out his right arm for Starsky to help him to his feet. He swayed a little as he achieved the vertical and leaned against the wall until he recovered his equilibrium.

'What the hell were you doing?' Starsky hissed.

'Stopping you from making a huge mistake' Hutch growled.

'And you couldn't have just yelled at me to stop?'

'You're fuckin' deaf! And besides, has that stopped you before?'

The brunet didn't answer. Instead, he put a steadying arm around Hutch's shoulder and guided his partner to the car around the corner. As Starsky unlocked it, Hutch leaned against the passenger door and as he eased himself into the passenger seat he handed Starsky a small packet wrapped in plastic.

'Here' he said with a frown 'Your evening is complete. You got a parking ticket.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

By the time they got back to Starsky's house Hutch's arm was throbbing mercilessly and his temper had just about reached rock bottom. It was bad enough that he'd been threatened with demotion, dragged to a Chinese restaurant to compete with his best friend for a girl's attention and spent the night worrying about the narrowing of Starsky's eyes when he moved too quickly. To be shot, albeit by accident by his best friend was one step too far and the anger bubbled beneath the surface like a geyser. Hutch mumbled under his breath as they drove through the quiet streets. He hugged his forearm to him and experimentally waggled his fingers now that the initial shock had worn off. They moved easily enough and the blond admitted to himself that nothing was broken except maybe his temper. Sure he'd have a helluva bruise and another scar to add to his list, but the stray bullet had done little damage in the scheme of things.

Starsky, on the other hand was also beside himself with anger – but at himself and not Hutch. How could he –a detective with more than ten years experience- have allowed his gun to go of like that? Was he getting slow? Was his head more fucked than he had at first thought after his fight in the alley with Kim? He'd come so close to seriously injuring his partner and yet he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead he drove back to his house at his "compromise" speed of 29 miles per hour, keeping one eye on the road and the other on the blond at his side. Each time Hutch shifted in his seat or took a surreptitious look beneath his sleeve at his arm, Starsky's stomach gave a little lurch and he gripped the steering wheel harder. By the time they pulled up outside Ridgeway, both men were stiff and sore from their injuries and their pent up anger.

'Are you comin' in?' Starsky asked quietly.

'Uh huh. I can't drive tonight. Arm hurts too much' Hutch replied, looking straight ahead rather than at his buddy.

'Damn' Starsky whispered as he opened the car door. He made a small pain noise as he eased himself out of the vehicle and limped around to the passenger side to open the door for Hutch. The blond got out, wincing at the movement and stood with his back to the car as he watched Starsky haul himself up the steps to his front door. Without thinking about it, he swallowed down a chuckle, his anger dissipating rapidly. Starsky looked over his shoulder.

'Pardon me?'

Hutch shook his head. 'I'm sorry Starsk, but looking at the pair of us, would anyone really think we're supposed to be big bad cops?'

Starsky looked down at his partner. Hutch's arm had stopped bleeding, but his gore still stained the front of his shirt. Starsky's shirt was also stained red although whether it was from Hutch's arm or one of his own wounds he didn't know. All Starsky knew for sure was that he had a massive headache and his body felt as though it had been threaded through a mangle. Despite his resolve to remain angry all night, he too grinned.

'Hey, the chicks love scars. We gotta get 'em some way.'

The mirth left Hutch's face. With Starsky's shooting being just less than twelve months ago, the joke about scars was a little too close to the truth. Starsky saw the shadow fall over his friend's face and the rest of his anger dissolved like an ice cube in the rain. Hutch had remained with him throughout his recovery while many other partners would simply have tutted, made the right noises, bought flowers and moved on to the next partner. Theirs was more than friendship, more than love, more than brotherhood. Theirs was a relationship forged on the anvil of life and it would take something huge to part them.

'C'mon Blintz. Lets' get ya cleaned up huh?'

'Thought you'd never ask' Hutch grunted as he made his way up the steps and into Starsky's apartment. As the brunet started to find beer in the fridge and a pizza in the ice box, Hutch made his way through to the bathroom. They knew each other well enough to not need to ask. Both men kept a change of clothes at the others house for emergencies and since the shooting Hutch often stayed over, especially in the early days after Starsky's release from the hospital. The night of "four pain killers, feel no pain" were a dim and distant memory and once the pain killers wore off, the brunet was in agony for months. Now having been back at work and on active duty for just over 6 weeks, the old Starsky was back, new and improved and with even more to prove to the other detectives on the team. As he had said to Hutch on his first day back at work, they had always been Dobey's number one team and five pieces of lead weren't ever going to change that.

Hutch let the hot water pound down on the back of his neck. It felt good to let the cares of the day flow down the drain with the soapy water and although the bite of the soap in the wound on his arm was sharp and immediate, the more he moved the arm, the better it seemed to be. At the end of the shower, Hutch had eased the kinks out of his muscles and although the towel he used to dry himself was soon streaked with blood, the wound on his arm was clean and no more than a couple of inches long. He blessed whatever god was looking after him that it had been nothing more serious. Easing himself into a pair of grey sweatpants, the blond walked out into the living room just in time to see his partner getting the first aid box ready.

'My God. It's Florence McNightlight and her Deadly Lampshade' he grinned as Starsky patted the seat next to him.

'Dr Dave's surgery is now open. Pull up a gunshot wound and sit down' the brunet muttered, placing Hutch's arm on a clean white towel while he looked at the gash.

'It's fine. Stick a bandaid on it and go wash up.'

'Shudup Hutch. I could've killed ya back there.'

The blond winced as Starsky cleaned the wound some more with antiseptic. 'Shit! Was that an apology?'

'The closest you'll get to one. But really, what did happen back there?'

'We let things get outa hand.'

Starsky looked up and his eyes were clouded with misery. 'We? Or I did? I've never been so eager to pull a gun. I've never been so sloppy with it.'

'You were angry, and so was I. So we spend some more time on the firing range and in the mean time……'

'In the mean time what? I take a water pistol out with me? I mean it Hutch. I could've got ya killed. Is this as a result of…..ya know……the shooting……or sumthin else?'

Hutch sighed and put his finger on the bandage Starsky had wrapped around his arm while his friend tied the knot to hold it in place. 'We've been over this Starsk. The police shrink has been over this. You are gonna feel unsure of yourself maybe for the rest of your life. Anyone who came back from the dead is gonna feel the effects, but you can't keep second guessing yourself. If you're gonna question every action you take, then we're finished. We resign, find a nice little condo by the sea and live out a long, healthy and boring retirement.'

'Don't wanna resign.'

'Then for fucks sake stop feeling sorry for yourself! Shit happens. This could have happened years ago, but it didn't. We live with guns day in and day out buddy. Jeez, I've even been known to sleep with mine. So something like this was bound to happen to one of us. Don't put it down to you bein' shot. If anything put it down to the fact that Kim beat your brains out this morning.'

Starsky cocked his head on one side. 'You had to remind me! You had to say it didn't ya? Being shot was sumthin I couldn't help. Getting beat to a pulp by some acne faced, rice eatin', Bruce Lee look alike is sumthin I'd rather forget.'

It was Hutch's turn to chuckle. 'Confucius say "With age comes wisdom and with age also comes the ability to be beaten to a pile of crap by someone younger and fitter".'

Starsky snickered. 'You say the nicest things' he grunted as he got up from the sofa. 'I'm gonna go and get a shower.'

'I'll fix the pizza.'

Starsky walked through to the bathroom. He ached in places he didn't know he could ache and the annoying whistling in his ear was still loud as ever. Now accompanied by a huge headache, for a moment Starsky almost did the unthinkable and asked to go to the hospital to get checked out. Yet something –probably the fact that he'd spent almost 12 months being prodded and poked by various members of the medical profession stopped him and instead, he turned on the water full force and started to undress.

Back in the kitchen, Hutch was struggling with the new jar of coffee on the counter top. His left hand refused to hold the jar tight enough to unscrew the tight top and his anger was once more surfacing. 'You got a lot to answer for buddy' he muttered under his breath. Out loud he yelled for the brunet and waited. There was no reply and Hutch stalked over to the bathroom door.

'Starsk, open the damned coffee jar huh? Starsk? Starsky!' there was no answer and softly the blond opened the bathroom door, letting his breath out in a low whistle as he saw his buddy naked through the steam. 'Shit! Why didn't ya tell me?'

Starsky turned with a guilty look on his face. He'd managed to get out of his clothes knowing he hurt too much for this to be only a bruise. He felt sick to his stomach as he saw the blackening area over his left rib, overlaying the scar from the third bullet that had taken him out a year ago. The doctors had told him this would always be a weak spot. Healed bone over that area would be thinner than anywhere else, but he'd never expected it to break so readily.

'I didn't know. Truly' Starsky said in a small voice.

Hutch paused, not knowing whether to hug the smaller man to him or to yell at him for not being more careful. The look on Starsky's face told him to do neither and he took a step backwards. 'Get cleaned up Gordo. Dinners nearly ready' he managed to mumble.

Starsky watched the man go. Hutch's face was always so easy to read and the look on his face now indicated that Starsky had seriously pissed him off –and not from the gunshot. Starsky's recovery had been almost as tough for Hutch as it had been for himself. Sure, Starsky had had to endure the pain, the infections and the daily grind of physiotherapy, but Hutch had been there riding the highs and lows of his recovery with him. For weeks, the blond had never left his side and Hutch's own health had suffered as a consequence, so that in the end he'd been referred to the police shrink for counselling. For Starsky to have been hurt again so soon after returning to active duty…… the brunet felt as though he'd let his partner down in some way, and that hurt almost more than the busted rib.

Pulling himself together mentally, Starsky eased himself into the shower and stood beneath the hot water until it started to run cold. Even then, it was an effort to get his ass out, dried and dressed sufficiently to face Hutch over a beer and a slice of pizza. He dressed sufficiently to cover up the incriminating bruises and opened the door to the living room, ready for the recriminations that would surely follow. Yes, he'd been stupid. Sure, he'd been impulsive and no, Mom, he wouldn't do it again. Starsky opened his mouth to apologise before Hutch got the chance to get in there with both barrels blazing and then closed it again quickly. Hutch was sitting on the chair, his feet up on the coffee table and his head resting against the chair back. The bottle of beer was held loosely in his right hand and his injured left hand was cradled across his chest. His eyes were closed and from the soft snuffling noises, it was obvious he was asleep.

Starsky grinned. Hutch's back wasn't going to like him in the morning, but it seemed such a shame to wake the blond man just to have him go home to go to sleep again. He tiptoed to his cupboard, brought out a comforter and gently laid it over Hutch's sleeping body. Short of kissing him goodnight –something both men drew the line at- Starsky could do little more and so with a sigh, he took his own bottle of beer, lay down carefully on the sofa and closed his eyes.

Maybe tomorrow he'd learn to control his temper.

Maybe that was a pig that had just flown past his window!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ken Hutchinson opened his eyes slowly and groaned loudly as he tried to move his head from its resting place by the cushion on the arm of the chair. He had a crick in his neck and a headache and for some reason he seemed to have spent the night balled up on an easy chair instead of resting comfortably in his own bed.

He tried to lever himself up with his left hand and then the reality hit. He was at Starsky's, they'd had an interesting day the day before and both of them could quite easily have taken part in a commercial for a personal injury lawyer's firm. The blond gasped as he wigged the fingers of his injured arm and as he wiggled them the pain receded a little and he looked around. The door to Starsky's bedroom was closed and on impulse he got up and opened it.

Starsky was led on his right side, his face almost extinguished in the pillow looking every inch the dark angel. With his eyes closed and his longer curly hair tumbled across his forehead he looked fourteen rather than thirty four. If it hadn't been for the pinkish linear scars decorating his left side, chest and back his body would have been in perfect shape. But then there was the huge black bruise over his left ribs. As Hutch turned a sleep fuddled voice sounded from deep in the pillow.

'Will someone get me a coffee?'

Hutch snickered. 'Well certainly Sir. I'll get right on it Sir. Would Sir like me to draw him his morning bath?'

Starsky's eye opened. 'Shower. An' I can do that all on my own. Coffee's fine, thanks.'

'How's the rib?' Hutch asked just as Starsky as 'How's the arm?'

'Farm? Oh, arm. You first' the brunet muttered, not trusting himself to sit up just yet. He'd had a long and painful night but towards morning had gotten himself comfortable and had managed a few hours of sleep even though the whistling in his ear continued unabated. Hutch didn't look much better than he felt.

'Nothing's broken. It's ok. I won't be arm wrestling for a while, but I'm good to go. Did you sleep? Do you need any pain meds?'

Starsky shrugged and the movement brought a small pain sound from his throat. He swallowed it down and fought to sit up in bed without showing how much it hurt. It was a forlorn hope. Hutch had spent the past twelve months watching Starsky's recovery. By now the blond could read every nuance, every narrowing of the eyes.

'You're hurtin' aren't ya?'

'No more than I usually do in the morning.'

'I'll get your pills.'

'Chills? No, I'm fine.'

Hutch shook his head. 'PILLS. I'll get your pills.'

Starsky nodded. 'Just one. I don't wanna be sleeping on the job.'

'Two, and you aren't thinking of going in are you?'

'Why not?'

Hutch put his hands on his hips. 'Coz you can hardly breathe this morning. Give it a rest Starsk. No-one expects you to be Superman.'

A cloud passed over Starsky's face. 'You mean they all expect the cripple to be takin' a couple of days off here and there. Make allowances for the medical miracle huh? Oh, it's only Starsky. He got shot, he don't count the same.'

'Don't do that.'

Starsky continued unabated. 'It's true. They look at me like I got "Cripple" tattooed on my forehead.'

'Shudup' Hutch yelled. 'Shudup Starsk, you're talKin' crap.'

'Am I? For fuck's sake Hutch, how can they believe I can do the job when…..'

'When what?'

The brunet looked away. 'Nuthin.'

'When what? What were you gonna say?'

'Let it rest Hutch, I'm not in the mood.'

'No, I won't. You were gonna say something and I want to know what it was.'

Starsky started to swing his legs over the side of the bed. A pain lanced through his damaged chest and he clutched at it, bending over to get his breath. 'When I don't even believe it myself' he snarled, breathing past the pain.

Hutch walked out of the room and came back a minute later with two white pills and a glass of water. Silently he handed them to his partner and then sat down on the edge of the bed, close enough to touch but without invading Starsky's space.

'I thought we went over this last night' he said quietly.

'It still don't make it right Hutch. When I finally did get to sleep I dreamed about shooting you over and over again. I just keep askin' myself if I'm really fit enough to do this. When I'm sat here, I feel like I can take on the world. I feel healed and strong, but when the crunch comes, some slanty eyed pipsqueak can knock me down with a feather.'

'It was a nunchuck, and he was 130lbs of solid muscle Starsk. He probably started fighting when he was knee high to a grasshopper and he's just got better and meaner. No-one could have fought him any better.'

'That's just it though. I didn't fight. I wasn't fast enough. I just curled into a little ball like a girl!'

Hutch got up from the bed. 'I'm not even gonna have this conversation. You're as fit now as you were before Gunther. You're body is fine, it's what's inside that thick skull of yours that needs work.'

'I'm beat Hutch. The fire's gone out of me, that's what's the matter.'

'Then stay there and I'll ring in sick.'

'I said the fire had gone out. I'm not dead! If I can walk an' talk then I can get to the Metro, even if I'm not fit to take on Kim again any time soon.'

Hutch shrugged. 'So this is the newer, softer, all improved Starsky is it?'

Starsky looked up and grinned. 'Yup. A new me.'

'And what brought about this seed change huh?'

The brunet sighed, winced and rubbed at his chest. 'I can't face your pep talks any more. So. No temper any more. I'm just gone take each day as it comes.'

O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O

'The fuckin' bastards! God, let me get my hands on 'em. I'm gonna wring 'em limb from limb, chew 'em up and spit out the pieces.'

'And this is the calm, temper free Starsk, is it?' Hutch came to stand by his partner as the two men surveyed the shiny black TransAm that had captured Starsky's heart after his beloved Torino had died. Now, the beautiful high gloss hood that stretched away into infinity was marred by the paint stripper that had been tipped liberally across it. Bare metal showed through the ravaged paintwork and for a moment Hutch thought Starsky was going to cry. The brunet ran his hand lovingly over the machine.

'I'm gonna make 'em pay for what they've done to you baby' he murmured and looked up. 'That bastard has it comin' to him.'

'Which bastard? We seem to upset most of 'em' Hutch asked, although he already knew the answer.

'Kim. Get in the car, we're going down to the restaurant right now.'

Hutch put a restraining hand on his buddy's shoulder. 'Um…..no, we aren't.'

Starsky glowered. 'And why not? There's only him would have done this.'

'Well first, if you go after him in your condition, you're gonna break more than your temper. Second, if he's had time to do this, what else has he done at the car, huh?

The brunet considered that last chilling thought for a moment and then eased himself down onto the ground by the side of his car. Hutch trotted around to the other side and mirrored the move until both men could see underneath the TransAm. Carefully, they checked the brake lines, the fuel lines and anything else that was readily visible. With no unexpected leaks or packages of explosives, they progressed to under the hood and finally to inside the vehicle.

'Clear?' Hutch asked.

'Looks like it. Let me at 'em.' Starsky started to open the driver's side door but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He stopped and turned. 'What?'

'Gimme the keys.'

'Why?'

Hutch V'd his eyebrows. 'Coz you're not fit to drive.'

Starsky frowned. 'Am too' he said petulantly.

'Starsk you had your head mashed yesterday and last night you were almost too sore to get to bed. You wouldn't let me get you checked out but if you didn't have a concussion you were pretty close to it. As I'd prefer to live all my life, I'm gonna drive.'

The brunet glared. 'Is that the real reason?'

Hutch smiled innocently and got into the car, pushing Starsky gently out of the way. 'I have no idea what you mean' he muttered sweetly.

Starsky grunted and walked around to the passenger side of his own car, trying to ignore the battlefield that was his hood. He got into the car carefully to avoid hurting his chest and stared out of the windshield. 'You think I'm gonna go straight to the Royal Pheonix.'

'The thought had crossed my mind, yes.'

'They had no right.'

'I know buddy, and we will get them, but we have to do this by the book otherwise Dobey will throw it at us.'

'Fine.' Starsky threw his hands up in defeat. 'Whatever you say, but one way or the other I'm gonna get even.'

'And we will, but let's just get to work first huh?'

They drove in silence. Hutch was aware of the waves of suppressed anger coming from his right hand side. It was a while since Starsky had been so mad, in fact the last time was the day the police surgeon had first told the brunet that he may never recover fully enough to get back to his previous job. On that occasion, Starsky had walked calmly out of the doctor's room and down to the police garage. Hutch had followed him, aware something was going down and when he finally stopped Starsky, the brunet had whirled on his friend and taken a swing at him in his frustration.

'Talk to me' Hutch eventually broke the silence.

'Nuthin to say.'

'That's a first.'

'You don't wanna hear it.'

Hutch drew to a halt outside the big square stone building and switched off the engine. 'Try me.'

'I don't wanna go in.'

'In? To work? You said you were ok. You told me you didn't want to take a sick day.'

'I don't. I just don't want to go in.'

Hutch turned in his seat. 'Run that by me again.'

'I dunno. I guess I'm just feelin' raw. I go in there and I feel like they're all lookin' at me and thinkin' I shouldn't be there…..that I should have been pensioned off.'

'Yeah, I can imagine that, especially Sergeant Prescoe after you mashed him into the gym mat last week when he tried sparring with you.'

'That's not it. It's just….. like when I go into the squad room and the guys like Boone and Patterdale look at me. Clay Patterdale never did like me but somehow he's almost vicious now.'

'Aww c'mon buddy. You're just feelin' sore. It's your imagination, Patterdale's fine and Boone looks at you like a puppy'd look at his owner. He idolises you.'

'Ya think?'

Hutch patted Starsky's knee. 'I don't think, I know. C'mon, the sooner we face Dobey, the sooner we can get out onto Kim's tail.'

With another grunt the brunet got out of the door and followed his partner up to the familiar room on the first floor. They pushed open the swing doors to the squad room and Starsky groaned inwardly. Sitting at their desks by the door Boone and Patterdale looked up as the duo entered. He and Hutch nodded a greeting and received a nod back.

'Are you feeling better Starsky?' Boone asked.

'Shudup kid, he's just asking for sympathy' Patterdale mumbled.

Hutch turned, having heard the comment. 'Say again' he asked.

Patterdale met the crystal eyes. 'I said he should be home tucked up in bed. He had a late night.'

Hutch walked over to stand by the desk, leaving Starsky pouring coffee. 'And you should know. What were you doing up so late yourself?'

Patterdale looked back down at his work. 'I don't know what you mean.'

'Don't give me that. You heard Dobey balling us out about that Chinese guy and yet I'm sure I saw your car outside the restaurant last night. What's going on Clay?'

Boone looked up sharply. 'Did you have a meal out?' he asked his partner.

Patterdale got up and pulled Hutch to one side, his eyes narrowing. Lowering his voice Patterdale fixed Hutch with a glare. 'Shudup Hutchinson. It wasn't me, ok?'

'It was your car Pat. Are you spying on us? Or is it something else?'

Patterdale's face turned ugly and he pushed the blond out into the hallway and down towards the washrooms. Once inside, he slammed the door closed and faced off against Hutch. 'Keep your voice down, keep your nose out of my business and leave me and my partner alone if you know what's good for you.'

Hutch fixed the big man with the full force of his gaze. 'Or what Pat? What're you hiding huh?'

'I told ya Hutch, back off. Your partner might be back in the land of the living, but he can't back you up when the crunch comes. Just back off and leave us alone huh?'

Hutch frowned. 'Back off from what ? What's goin' on Clay? What're ya hiding?'

'I'm hiding nothing and if you know what's good for you, you and that curly haired poodle'll keep out of my hair.' Patterdale balled his hand into a fist and looked as though he was going to take a swing at Hutch but as he prepared to take the blow, the door opened and a uniformed officer came into the bathroom. Both Hutch and Patterdale looked around and Patterdale backed off a couple of steps. There was silence as the officer made his way to one of the stalls and as business commenced the big man prodded Hutch hard in the chest.

'Back off and leave me alone. Don't pry if you know what's good for you' Patterdale hissed as he walked out leaving Hutch looking at the door and wondering exactly what was going on.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Starsky looked up as Hutch walked back into the squad room and handed his partner a mug of coffee.

'What was that all about?' he asked

Hutch shook his head. 'Nothing. I don't know. It was just Pat being Pat.'

'Mouthing off about me ya mean?'

The blond looked pensive. 'Huh? Oh, no, not really. I mean he isn't your number one fan and I don't think you're top of his Christmas card list but he's cool.'

'Then why do you look like you've lost a dollar and found a dime? You and he…..' Starsky's observations were cut off by Dobey's appearance and the door to his office. He took one look at the bruises marching across the bodies of his two detectives, and the bandage around Hutch's arm and grunted.

'Do I want to know?' he asked

Hutch gave him innocent, blank eyes. 'Know what Cap'n?'

'Why suddenly you two look like a commercial for Rite Aid.'

The blond looked down at his arm. 'This little thing? I cut myself um…..shaving.'

'It's repetitive strain injury from hitting me' Starsky offered.

Dobey glared at the two men and shook his head. 'It's like bloody kindergarten' he muttered. 'I need the two of you in my office, now, if you can manage to limp this way.'

Starsky got up with what was supposed to be an exaggerated groan but was a little too close to the truth for comfort. Hutch followed and they made their way into the smaller office. Morning light made zebra stripes through the jalousies across the carpet and small dust motes glittered in the air, highlighted by the sunbeams. Both men stood just inside the doorway, unsure what to expect. Dobey sat down behind his desk and signalled them to pull up chairs and sit down. For once, they obeyed without comment.

The big black man picked up a file and opened it, frowning at the words on the paper. He looked up and fixed his men with a steely gaze. 'What did you do last night?' has asked without preamble.

'Nuthin…..'

'Slept……' they said together.

'Don't give me that. You went around to Kim's place didn't you?'

Starsky leaned forwards in his seat. 'The time for taking it quietly and observing is past Cap'n. Kim knows we're onto him and he made that pretty obvious yesterday.'

'And he knows that how?' Dobey threw up his hands and let them fall with a slap onto the desk top.

'What do you mean? Up until yesterday afternoon we sat tight and did nothing. What're you implying?' Hutch asked indignantly.

'Not implying anything. I'm saying it seems odd that he took one look at the two of you and high tailed it.'

'Aww c'mon Cap!' Starsky snapped. 'He knew we were onto him long before we saw him yesterday. Otherwise, like you say, why would he have taken off like he did, huh? All we did last night was go eat at a nice restaurant. If Kim happened to be there while we were finishing our dim sum then all well and good.'

'It was Kim's restaurant!'

Starsky smiled happily. 'Really? Wow! Coincidence huh?'

'Did you go along with this Hutchinson, or is that a stupid question?'

Hutch shifted in his seat. 'I was hungry' he offered mildly. He had been in the crossfire of Dobey and Starsky's arguments for long enough to know when to say the minimum. Now was one of those times.

'Eating aside, why are you askin'? Has the slimy bastard complained again?' Starsky asked. 'Coz we did nuthin other than eat. If anyone should be makin' complaints, it's us.'

Dobey shook his head. 'No, Kim hasn't said a word, although if you aren't careful he's gonna get his fancy pants lawyer to file a harassment suit.'

'Then why ask?'

'I'm getting to it. For once you happened to be in the right place at the right time. Was Kim there last night?'

'Yeah, he was there' Starsky replied. 'Him an' three of his goons all gathered round kinda cozy.'

'And he was still there when you left?'

'Where is this goin' Capn? Has he said sumthin?'

Dobey shook his head. 'No. And neither has his latest victim who was found this morning at a bonded warehouse on Pier Six. He couldn't say anythin' because he'd had his throat ripped out.'

'Do we have a name?' Hutch sat forwards in his chair.

'Uh huh. One Marco Amoretti.'

'Shit! The same Amoretti that just finished time for that huge heroin scam. I didn't know he was back outside again.'

Dobey flipped a black and white photograph across the table to the two detectives. It showed a grisly scene with a thin man at its centre. From the amount of blood surrounding the body and the look of sheer horror in those dead, staring eyes, it was clear that Marco had not died peacefully. Silently Hutch handed the photograph back and waited.

'The pace has just stepped up. This is the first vic we can positively connect to Kim and the Red Dragons. Amoretti had been dealing with them in the past in Cincinnati, before Kim came to Bay City. He was released from jail 3 days ago. I knew, some of the men here knew, but that was about it. It wasn't common knowledge, but somehow Kim found out. From what information I have, Kim was into Amoretti for at least three quarters of a million. Someone, somewhere told Kim that Marco was back on the streets. I'm betting my bottom dollar that that same someone also told Kim that he was becoming interesting to us.'

'And you think that information came from where?' Hutch asked.

Dobey sighed. 'There's only one place it could have come from.'

Starsky V'd his eyebrows. 'Dirty cop?' he asked quietly.

Dobey shrugged. 'I'm not gonna say for certain, but there were only a few people knew of Amoretti's release and this department was one of them.

'Do you have any names?' Starsky asked.

Dobey shook his head. 'No-one as yet, and I haven't voiced my suspicions with anyone else but the two of you. I want you to keep your eyes open.'

Hutch shivered. 'God I hate this. If there's one thing that freaks me out it's a dirty cop. If I get my hands on…..' The blond stopped mid sentence and said nothing more although his mind was trying to comprehend what he'd just thought. Dobey looked at him expectantly.

'You were going to say?'

'Huh? Oh, nothing Cap'n. Just like I said. I hate dirty cops. Sure, we'll keep our eyes open. In the mean time, what do we do with Kim?'

'There's no need to be covert any more, but at the same time, we can't go in there with all guns blazing. We have nothing to pin on him yet and we need to be careful. He has enough money at his disposal that he can hire any lawyer he needs to shake off charges unless they're water tight. We step up the pace, we put a bit more pressure on him and we wait. The thing with flakes like Kim is that sooner or later they get complacent and they make mistakes. If we watch him carefully enough……'

'We just happen to be around when he makes the big mistake huh?' Starsky asked.

Dobey nodded. 'You got it. And I know I can rely on you two to snoop around some.'

Starsky threw his hands up in mock despair. 'Again with the snooping! What is it with my reputation all of a sudden?'

'It precedes you buddy' Hutch snickered. His partner scowled at him.

'Fine. I'll snoop. Tonight.'

The Captain dismissed them with a wave of his hand. 'Remember, not a word about Amoretti or the fact that we suspect a cop. That's between these four walls. Whatever else you do, be careful……..and I want a full report.'

The duo left Dobey's office, took a quick drink of coffee, gathered together the files on Kim and headed out back down to the car. Once inside, Starsky drove out towards the beach and parked up on a small headland overlooking the ocean. It was the one place they knew no-one would overhear them and it was the one place they knew they would be able to see anyone else coming. Uptight? You bet. That's' what had kept them alive and at the top of their game for all these years.

The drive had been accomplished mostly in silence, each cop caught up in their own thoughts so that by the time the engine was switched off and the only sound coming through the open windows was the crash of waves along the shore and the sweet susurration of the breeze through the Mallam grass, they were ready to get down to details.

'You were gonna say something back in Dobey's office' Starsky said.

Hutch nodded. 'I know, but I couldn't bring myself to say it.'

'What?'

'Think on it Starsk. There is one man who knows we've been working on the Red Dragons. He also happens to treat you like some kind of social pariah and I am almost certain I saw his car drive away from the Royal Pheonix last night. Tag onto that the fact that he damned near knocked my lights out in the bathroom an hour ago.'

Starsky's jaw slid open. 'Patterdale? You're talking about Clay Patterdale?'

'The one and only.'

'Shit! No, it can't be. If you took Patterdale and split him down the middle, he'd have BCPD written right through him. He's got more medals than anyone I've ever met and…..' The brunet's voice tailed off into silence.

'And there's no escaping the facts' Hutch finished.

'I just can't believe it. You're seriously saying Clay Patterdale is a dirty cop?'

Hutch nodded sadly. 'I don't want to think it any more'n you do, but the facts add up. Who else would have access to all that information? Who else would have a boot in both camps?'

Starsky ran his fingers through his hair and stared out to the ocean. 'Jeez. It's always the ones you least suspect huh? What do we do now?'

'Well as I see it, Patterdale is gonna be keeping a close eye on us, so whatever we do, we do it out of the office.'

'Unless we want concrete evidence, in which case we feed him a line and watch him take the bait' Starsky said slowly.

'That's an option, but we have the other problem too.'

'Huh?'

Hutch turned in his seat and took the buff coloured file from its place below the dashboard. 'We also have Mu Yong Lin, A.K.A. Kim to consider. I thought Marco Amoretti was a slimy piece of work, but he didn't deserve to have his throat ripped out. We need to nail Kim as well.'

'Then we need to keep him under surveillance. Sharply under surveillance.'

Hutch cocked an eyebrow. 'And what's that supposed to mean?'

'It means that suddenly Chinese is the only sort of food I want to eat' Starsky replied happily.

'And that is gonna get us precisely where?'

'It's gonna let Kim know that we're onto him. We pile on the pressure and eventually he's gonna make a mistake. Along the way, we may also let slip to our friend back in the squad room certain little bits of insider information?'

The blond cop snickered as he flicked through the file of papers. 'Nice one. But all this eating at the Royal Pheonix……this wouldn't have anything to do with a pretty little waitress, would it?'

Starsky looked shocked. 'I don't know what you mean!'

'Like hell. But I think you may be onto something buddy, although I'm not sure you're gonna want to hear this.'

'Try me.'

Hutch looked up from the file. 'What was the waitress' name?'

'Jade, just like her eyes' the brunet sighed dramatically.

The file was thrust into his lap, forcing Starsky to look down at the picture of the waitress in question. 'Bingo' Hutch muttered. 'I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing Starsk, old man, but the apple of your eye just happens to be Jade Lin, the daughter of the owners of the Royal Pheonix. Jade is Kim's little sister.'

'Well aint that convenient' Starsky replied, looking carefully at the beautiful face captured in full Technicolor in the photograph.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The restaurant had that abandoned air to it that is common with places that usually only become busy at night. In the bright light of day the décor seemed somehow tacky rather than rich, the red of the napkins just too bright against the white linen table cloths and the peacock feathers overly dramatic in the gilt coloured oversized pots. Without the buzz of quiet conversation and the warming light of the candles on each table the large room seemed empty and cold, even though outside the thermometer was touching 90 in the shade.

The Royal Phoenix didn't often open its door to paying patrons during the day. Sometimes it catered for special occasions. Occasionally there was a family wedding, or a gathering of one of old man Lin's clubs, but mostly, the doors to the restaurant remained firmly locked against the outside world, the building giving closed shutters to the public. It was a time when the big room seemed to rest and sleep and gather itself for the time when the sun went down.

It was also a convenient place for Kim to gather with the rest of the members of the Red Dragons and plan their operations. Old man Lin knew of his son's dealings, although not in detail. Having been brought up in China as the son of a medium wealthy business man, the elder Lin, Kim's father, was used to Tongs –the societies that ruled the mainland of his home country. To belong to a Tong was as familiar as breathing, but whereas at one time Lin had been the snakehead of his band, now he studiously ignored the goings on of his son. What old man Lin didn't know about the Red Dragons wouldn't harm him and although he didn't stop Kim from using the restaurant during the day as his base of operations, he wisely kept out of the way and let the younger man get on with business.

Right now that business involved raised voices and a machine-gun quick spatter of heated Mandarin. Kim was angry and the rest of his group remained silent and wisely refused to become involved. The object of Kim's anger, however, was giving as good as she got. Jade shared her brother's temper and although she was tiny and could not have hurt her sibling with blows, her words stung as much as any whip slash may have done.

The previous day, Kim had hightailed it back to the restaurant after his encounter with the curly haired cop in the alleyway. He'd been pleased with himself for giving Starsky the beating Kim felt he richly deserved, but as he later sat in one of the booths drinking green tea, he realised that he had in some way incriminated himself. He also realised that his operation had become known to the police of the 9th precinct and he cursed his mole for not being more careful. Sooner or later, that mole was going to pay for his mistake. In the meantime, Kim realised he would have to rein in his operations for a while, lay low and play the waiting game.

That was until he saw those same two cops that chased him appear at his restaurant that night. It was bad enough that he had the authorities swimming in his soup, but when he then found his sister flirting dangerously with them, his temperature soared and his temper snapped. Kim was sensible enough not to cause a scene in the restaurant that night, but stupidly he had sent his two doormen after Starsky and Hutch. That had been another mistake and he berated himself for it, although what was done was done. Kim could do nothing about his own mistakes and like any cocksure young man, he chose to ignore them. He could, however, remind his sister of the error of her own ways.

'I don't want you anywhere near the restaurant again. You are confined to the house, do you have that?' Kim yelled.

'This is America brother, not our village in China. Remember "home of the brave and land of the free"? You have no right to keep me locked away.'

'You're my sister and as head of this family I have every right, especially when you conduct yourself like a common whore. Maybe I should swap your white dress for a green one. Then maybe you could dress the part too?'

Jade glared at her brother, not intimidated in the slightest by his harsh words and raised voice. 'Head of the family? The last time I looked our father was still alive and kicking. He is the only head of the family in my eyes. When you grow up, then maybe I will listen to you, in the meantime go ahead and play at gangs with your friends. I have serious work to do running this place' she sneered.

Kim was on his feet in a second and grabbed Jade around the upper arms, his grip strong and crushing so that she felt his fingertips drilling into her flesh. She refused to show the pain she felt, however and that seemed to inflame Kim's temper more. He fixed her with a steely gaze, drew back his hand and slapped her hard across her face. Jade's head snapped sideways and she fell to the floor, holding her cheek as she looked up at the man with open disdain in her eyes.

'That's your answer to everything isn't it? If you don't agree with it then you have to damage it in some way. Well you can beat me into the middle of next week if you wish, but tonight I will be back at my desk running the restaurant with a clear conscience. Will you be able to sleep as well in your bed?'

Kim glared down at the woman. It had felt good to hit her. She had no obedience and no respect. If they had been back home in China he would have paraded her through the streets and sold her to the highest bidder and for a tiny moment he regretted that he lived in America. The country had a lot to offer but it also protected the weak and gave rights to those who, in Kim's eyes, deserved none.

'Get out' he snarled. 'Get out of my sight and don't come back until we open tonight. I will have Shing and Quon watch you even more carefully this evening. You may think you have freedom here sister, but as to what degree of freedom…. I own you and don't forget it.'

Jade got up and rose on tiptoe to stare into her brother's eyes, contempt dripping from her every word as she smiled mirthlessly at him. 'You own nothing. You have your little friends and you have your money, but at least I have integrity, and my own conscience is clear.'

+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+

'Chest hurting again buddy?' Hutch looked sideways as Starsky rubbed surreptitiously at his side and took a careful breath in. It was pointless lying to Hutch and the brunet felt bad for being bad tempered earlier on in the day.

'No more'n your arm must be hurtin'. What say we call it a day huh? We can both get early nights and maybe tomorrow the thought of Patterdale in cahoots with Kim won't seem quite so bad.

Hutch snickered and quickly turned the snicker into a cough and Starsky turned with questioning eyes. 'What?'

'What's so funny?'

Hutch took a second to compose himself. 'Cahoots. Did you just say cahoots?'

'Yeah! It's a perfectly good word, what's wrong with cahoots?'

The blond straightened his face. It was a long standing thread of a joke between them that occasionally Starsky would pick up a word that was so out of character for him and use it whenever he got a chance. 'It's a wonderful word buddy. Um….where'd ya dig that one up from?'

Starsky gave a dignified sigh. 'I was watching Lawrence of Arabia on the TV. It happened to come up and…. Anyway, don't change the subject. I need a shower a beer and an early night. Does that sound good?'

'Sounds great to me.' And in truth Hutch felt as bad as Starsky looked. Whether it was the after shock of his bullet wound, or whether it was the sudden sickening knowledge that one of the longest serving guys in the team had turned dirty, he didn't know, but Hutch too felt as though he had sandpaper beneath his eyelids and molasses flowing through his veins. 'Home and an early night is good, but what about "all I want to eat is Chinese?" huh?'

Starsky wiggled his eyebrows. 'Who says I have to eat at the restaurant to have a Chinese?'

'Starsk, that is both gross and disrespectful. And how the hell would you get her away from that huge minder anyway?'

The brunet looked defeated. 'Ok, maybe tomorrow. But remember, Captain Marvel always gets his man' Starsky said darkly as he pulled up outside Venice Place. 'See you tomorrow Pal?'

Hutch got out and peered in through the car window, trying to ignore the paint stripper splashes across the hood of the otherwise immaculate car. 'Get some rest Starsk. I'll see you bright and early in the morning.'

Starsky grunted. 'I'll see you early but I don't promise to be bright.'

Ten minutes later saw Starsky back at his own place on Ridgeway. He parked the TransAm up under the shade of the big tree outside his house and made his way inside. Something inside him felt wrong. He felt itchy and ill at ease even though he was dog tired and aching in places he hadn't ached for months. Listlessly, the brunet went to the fridge and got himself a beer, but the thought of food right then turned his stomach. The one thing that had been praying on his mind during the day finally surfaced and made his heart beat faster as he slumped into the chair by the door.

Sure, it had come as a shock to find out that Patterdale may be dirty and of course he was still angry at himself for not being able to take Kim in a fight, but those issues paled into insignificance compared to the real worry in Starsky's mind.

He had played the old game with Hutch. He had intimated that he was going to do more than just eat at the Royal Phoenix. He had hinted that he wanted Jade –and not just as a waitress. That was the old Starsky, the one who never passed up an opportunity to romance a woman. In the old days, he'd had a reputation to uphold and there were few women officers at the metro who had not succumbed to his charms at least once. Only Minnie Caplan gave as good as she got from the curly haired cop and theirs was a relationship based on the knowledge that Minnie would never give in to Starsky.

That was before Gunther.

Whilst lying in his hospital bed recovering from the shots, with morphine pumping around his body and the endorphins from the pain meds kicking in, Starsky felt invincible. The pretty nurses who looked after him, bathed him, changed his dressings and kept him company during the wee small hours of the morning, when the pain and fevers were at their worst were a tempting reminder of the life he knew he had to get back to. They were always there as a temptation and Starsky had flirted as he always had, although his body had never responded to their hands across his chest or abdomen…..or lower.

But that was the pain meds, right? Morphine will do that to a guy – won't it?

As the weeks progressed and Starsky started to get up and about, the nurses gave way to Fiona, his personal physiotherapist, supplied by the police department to rehabilitate their officer. She had been a stunner, and in her tight pants and tee shirt top, she had set Starsky's pulse racing long before he started his exercises. But he'd never once experienced that ache and that pressure in his groin that told him that he was ready to honour the woman with more than words.

But that was the pain from the exercises, right? Muscle pain and bone crushing fatigue will do that to a guy – won't it?

The months wore on and Starsky had felt like a recluse. Without the initial strength to go out without someone to accompany him, he had occupied his time with his camera, or his books or his music. Mozart had become his daily companion and when he did go out with Hutch, it was such a relief to be out of his house, that he spent more time with his blond partner and Huggy than with girls.

But that was because he wanted jokes with his friends, right? He wasn't shying away from anything – was he?'

But now the ugly truth was hitting home. In the twelve months since Starsky had been shot, he had not once had time alone with a woman in a romantic setting. Whilst he was sure he could still charm a woman with his words and with his looks, there were other things that worried the brunet.

The first was that whilst women always told him that they found scars sexy, he didn't know how they would react to the road map that was now emblazoned across his chest and back. Sure Terri always liked to run her fingers over the puckered wound on his left shoulder and back. She used to kiss it and tell him it was a badge of honour that turned her on, but that was different. That was one bullet wound and was small and neat and had caused him a life threatening loss of blood, but a reasonably small operation to put him right.

What he suffered at the hands of Gunther's goons eclipsed that my miles. Five slugs had torn through his body in a diagonal line from left shoulder down through his chest and abdomen. That meant multiple surgeries, multiple incisions…..and multiple scars. Starsky doubted that even his beloved Terri would have looked at his body and said anything other than "Shit". His scars were not a badge of courage. To Starsky they were a constant reminder of how his life had been almost ripped away from him and how his confidence had been shattered.

His second problem fed from the first. Confidence in his abilities to do his job was one thing. Confidence in his ability to be with a woman was something else, and something that up until now Starsky had refused to face up to. When he was on his own, his body responded to pictures of women, or the soft porn magazines he sometimes read as it always had, although the feelings in his groin were not as intense nor did they last as long as they had done before. Would that happen "in the field" as it were? Would Starsky's body respond to a woman as it had in the past? Would he get that deep, low ache in his belly and would he have that insistent rod of flesh hard and hot and ready when the time came?

Only a date with a woman would answer that question. Only a night with a beautiful woman would allow the brunet to explore what his body could or could not do. Hutch had tried to get him dates. His partner had tried to set him up with women and always Starsky had had a clever retort or some excuse as to why he couldn't go out.

Up until now.

Starsky's first look at Jade had sent a familiar thrill down his spine and a stirring in his jeans. Not strong, but the first time that Little Davey had shown an interest in the outside world for a year. Now the curly haired cop stared at his bottle of beer morosely and faced up to his fears.

Did he have the confidence to try this? Did he have the confidence to go and ask Jade for a date, knowing that if she accepted then it may lead to other things?

Did he want to find out, or was Dave Starsky a coward?

With that thought ringing in his ears, Starsky slammed the beer down on the table, stalked stiff backed into the bathroom and started to run a shower. If he didn't do this tonight, then he may never do it.

Jade had no idea what was coming to her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

This time, out of an abundance of caution, Starsky allowed the valet to take his car keys and whisk the TransAm away to the parking lot. The man had done a double take at the damage on the hood of the car, but otherwise was too professional to make a comment. Or maybe it was the look in the curly haired cop's eye that challenged the valet to speak. Either way, Starsky tossed the keys to the guy and stood on the sidewalk looking up at the huge gold bird over the door to the restaurant.

Something in his belly was shaking and his legs felt like rubber. Dave Starsky had never felt so unsure of himself since he'd asked Ruth Rubens out to the prom at school. Then, he'd been a gawky six footer with a shock of curls and a crooked grin. Always popular with his friends, he'd been unsure of himself around girls in that typical teenage way. It wasn't until he'd turned 15 or so that Starsky's confidence with the opposite sex had grown. Now he felt 13 again and the prospect of going into the restaurant by himself was bad enough. Going in and asking Jade if she wanted to go out on a date seemed preposterous in the extreme.

Starsky wanted to turn tail and go back home. He wanted more then anything else to turn back the clock to the days before Gunther; before the shooting, when he could have had his pick of women. Then he revelled in his body. In those days, Starsky had been supremely confident that he could pleasure a woman so that at the end of a night of love making she would yearn for more of him. In those days he had had a steady stream of women. Now, he couldn't get past the thought that Jade would take one look at the wreck that his chest and back had become and would smile, give him some excuse and disappear into the night.

_Ok Davey, enough already!_ Starsky chided himself for the maudlin thoughts. So life had dealt him a bum hand. He was alive wasn't he? He had the rest of his days ahead of him and it wasn't in the brunet's nature to sit back and let the world revolve around him. Why have your life back if you weren't going to live it to the full? And in Starsky's case, living life to the full meant women. Tonight was a test.

No, strike that. It wasn't a test. Thinking about it that way put extra strain on an already uncomfortable time. It was merely an evening out with a beautiful girl, and the advantage of this beautiful girl was that she hadn't known him before the shooting, so she had no emotional baggage to bring with her –no "oh Dave what did they do to you?" to contend with.

With that thought in mind Starsky squared his shoulders, took a deep calming breath and walked into the restaurant. Once through the doors, the cool conditioned air wrapped around him in a refreshing embrace and the smell of the food assailed him. The brunet looked around, checking to see if Kim and his men were sitting in their booth near the kitchen. The space was empty and Starsky turned his attention back to his first intention for the evening.

Jade was standing in her usual place by the tall table at the opposite side if the door but tonight her costume had changed. Gone was the high, tight pony tail of the previous evening and in its place, her glossy jet black hair cascaded around her face and down her back like an ebony waterfall. Only the blunt cut fringe saved the hair style from looking severe –that and the shining, startling emerald green eyes. Only once before had Starsky seen such piercing green eyes. They had looked out from the handsome, rugged face of his friend Thomas Traff Trafford, but they had the same effect of making one lose oneself in their watery depths. Starsky shook himself from his thoughts and brought himself back to the present. Gone too was Jade's traditional Chinese short sleeved satin dress. In its place, she wore a long, full gypsy style skirt in deep moss green with a pretty white blouse along with a pale green bolero whose sleeves reached to her wrists. The blouse was buttoned demurely to just below her throat. The effect was romantic and floaty in a princess sort of way and it took the brunet's breath away just as much as the skin tight Chinese costume had the previous evening. Jade looked up as the new patron entered the restaurant and smiled as she recognised the handsome if slightly bruised man of the night before. Starsky smiled back and walked over to the maitre table.

'Do you have a reservation?' Jade asked, scanning her diary.

'No, I don't but I enjoyed the food so much last night that I wanted more. I didn't realise I needed to book ahead.'

She smiled and reached for a menu. 'You usually do, but I have a table for two available.'

'Two?' Starsky made it a question.

Jade blushed. 'I assumed the other gentleman would be with you?'

'The other…. Oh! You mean Hutch.'

'Yes. You seemed very um…."together". I assumed you and he…..'

It was the brunet's turn to colour up and he stuttered a little. 'Me and… no! No, you got the wrong idea about us. We're just good friends…..I mean not good friends but……well yeah, we're good but we aren't um….we're partners……work partners not the other sort. We….. hell, I'm making a mess of this aren't I? Let me start again.' Starsky held out his hand to the girl. 'Hi, my name's Dave. Do you have a table for one?'

Jade laughed, a genuine, girly laugh and bowed her head in traditional fashion, the curtain of her hair falling around her face so that it was held in semi darkness. 'Of course Sir. Right this way.' She turned away and Starsky followed as she threaded her way through the tables to a small booth set away at the back of the room. It was intimate and cozy and had place settings for two people. Jade indicated a seat and laid the menu on the bright white linen table cloth. Starsky sat down and then stood up again.

'Um….I was wondering if um….. do you get any time off during the evening? Or maybe afterwards?' Starsky mumbled, suddenly even more unsure of himself.

The smile left Jade's face for a moment and her hand went up to brush her cheek, although it was still covered by the waterfall of her hair. She seemed to come to a decision and nodded briefly, her eyes never leaving the man's for a moment. 'I work until eleven and then I finish. Why?' There was something about this man's face, some hunger and something else in his eyes that made her pause, wanting to take things gently. The face that looked back at her was handsome in a rugged sort of way. The smile that greeted her was genuine but it was those eyes that held her captivated. She had always been aware of eyes. Her own had brought her so much attention that she naturally focussed on the eyes of others. Those in front of her now were piercing dark blue, like the ocean after a storm when everything is once again peaceful and calm. That was the feeling she got from looking into those eyes, as though the owner –Dave- had been through a storm of his own and was emerging from the maelstrom into calmer waters. Those eyes held such longing….. and maybe a little fear and something low down in her belly flipped so that for a second she had trouble breathing.

Starsky watched the play of emotion flit across Jade's face. What was she thinking? Did she like what she saw? Or was she desperately trying to think of some excuse so that she didn't hurt his feelings?

'I just um…..wondered if…… if you'd like to go for a drink after work?' For long seconds there was silence and Starsky was on the brink of telling her that maybe meeting him was a bad idea after all when suddenly she seemed to come to a decision.

'I think I would like that very much' she said quietly. The reply surprised even Jade. Was she doing this out of sympathy for this man? Was it a way to get back at her brother to show him that she had rights too? Or was it that she genuinely liked this bruised enigma of a man? Starsky looked fit and healthy. He carried himself with a confident air and yet, bubbling just below the surface she could detect uncertainty. The combination intrigued her and far from being put off by it, Jade vowed she would like to find out more about this handsome guy.

Her answer seemed to have the right effect on him for Starsky was smiling broadly up at her and she had to ask him to repeat what he'd said because she'd once again got lost in the depths of those indigo blue eyes.

'I'm sorry?' she apologised.

Starsky grinned, feeling something of his old self surface like a long lost friend. 'I said I'd like it too. I'll meet you outside at eleven.'

'Don't you want to eat?' Jade asked.

'Eat? Oh……um do I have to?'

She giggled. 'The table isn't booked so no, I guess not. Could I at least get you a drink from the bar?'

'A soda would be great, thanks.' Starsky watched the girl walk away feeling happier than he had done for a while. _First step over Davey – she didn't laugh you off the face of the earth. Yeah, but just wait till you have her alone. What's she gonna say when she sees all the scars huh? Will she still want you then? What kinda girl would date Frankenstein's monster huh?_

Starsky's stomach did a little flip. He'd come this far on pure nerve but now that Jade had actually accepted the offer of a date, what would happen next? The brunet reasoned with himself that not every date had to end with bed and full on love making. He'd had good times with a girl when they'd simply enjoyed cuddling on the sofa and watching "I Love Lucy" on the TV. Maybe Jade was one of those girls. At the back of his mind however, Starsky still had that niggling doubt. Could he perform? Could he give the girl as much pleasure as he knew he used to be able to give to his women?

Watching Jade come back with his drink, her hair like a soft black satin curtain around her shoulders, keeping her face in shadows so that her mystery gathered around her, Little Davey let it be known that he could, if encouraged, perform adequately. Starsky wriggled in his seat, his jeans suddenly tight around his hips and he grinned up at the woman. As she set his drink down on the table, he caught her hand and raised it to his lips, brushing the back of it in the whisper of a kiss. Jade's hand stayed where it was for a second longer than was absolutely necessary, both encouraging Starsky and telling him that it was ok to flirt.

Eventually she pulled away gently. 'I need my hand for a while yet' she smiled and backed away, turning to go to greet some more customers who'd just come in. Starsky sighed and rested his chin on his hand as he watched her move. Who needed food huh? Who needed a three course meal when he could go home with a beautiful girl, albeit one who must have been ten years his junior. She seemed to like him and that's what counted.

Starsky was content for the first time in a long time. Hutch had several times tried to fix him up with some girl or other, but they had all been the same –more interested in the bullet wounds than the man who owned them. Most of the girls had known Starsky before the attack and expected him to be just the same. For the most part he was. Still fun loving, still a little childlike sometimes, but now the months of pain and the knowledge that he had been given a second chance at life had added a new dimension to the brunet –and one that those women couldn't fully understand. Starsky was always grateful to Hutch for trying, but now he'd managed to get a date all on his own, and that was even more of an achievement.

The fingers on the clock above the door to the kitchen crawled around to eleven. Occasionally Jade would come to sit by Starsky for a few minutes and during that time the big man who stood by her at the door scowled and watched her every move. Finally, the hour struck and Jade got a silk shawl from the shelf under her table and signalled Starsky to join her. The burnet stood stiffly. The couple of hours of waiting had taken its toll and now his chest protested and he felt the urge to massage the huge bruise. He resisted, but took a surreptitious stretch instead before following the girl to the door. As he leaned on it to open it for them, he was pushed back by a tall blond man entering.

Starsky did a double take.

As did his partner. Hutch stared at the brunet with undisguised disapproval.

'What the hell?' they both said at the same time.

Hutch stood back. 'You first. What happened to "I'm tired an' I'm gonna have an early night?" huh?'

'I got hungry' Starsky said defensively, feeling stupidly like a kid caught dating on a school night. 'What about you?'

Hutch blushed. 'I was just um…..I was well….. That's not important right now. You should be resting.'

'So should you! Your arm needs resting too.'

Hutch glared at his partner and then his eyes fell on Jade at Starsky's side and his feelings softened. In truth, he hadn't been able to keep the raven haired beauty out of his thoughts and had come to the restaurant tonight in an attempt to get a date. That he had been pipped to the post would have been terrible had it not been for the person doing the pipping. Something in the brunet's eyes made Hutch's heart skip a beat. It was something he hadn't seen for such a long time and looked suspiciously like happiness –and far be it from Hutch to spoil Starsky's night.

He put on his best angry face, not wanting Starsky to see how relieved he really was. 'Fine! Take the most beautiful girl in the room! Go on then, but don't get crabby with me in the mornin' huh?'

Starsky grinned. He knew the game Hutch was playing and played along for effect. 'No Mom. I'll be good Mom.' He leaned forwards so that he could whisper in Hutch's ear. 'I promise to be good……I'll be even better than good –I'll be fuckin' amazing' he muttered as he took Jade by the arm and asked the valet to bring his car around.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 - and mild warnings for Starsky having a good time (wink, wink)**

The drive back to Starsky's place gave the brunet time to calm down and for the doubts to make their reappearance again. As they'd got into the car, Starsky had asked Jade where she'd like to go. He would have been happy to take her to a bar, or to a different restaurant if that's what she'd wanted, but she'd explained to him that she'd been on her feet since six that evening and she'd love somewhere quiet where she could sit down and relax.

'Your place?' Starsky asked, trying not to be presumptuous.

'Mine? Oh….um, no, maybe not.'

'Ok then. Wanna go back to mine?'

Jade smiled at him, complete trust in her almond shaped eyes. 'That sounds nice. Is it far?'

'About twenty minutes. Settle down, put the radio on if you like.'

Jade reached down and twiddled with the dials on the radio beneath the dashboard of the TransAm. A moment later there was a crackle of static and then '……244 in progress at the corner of Wilshire and Central. All units in the area please respond.'

Starsky reached down and fiddled with a dial, cutting off Minnie Caplan's voice and replacing it with a classical music station. Jade cast him a questioning look.

'Police scanner?'

Starsky shook his head. 'Half right. Police.'

'You're a police man?'

'On the button. Me and my partner, Hutch. The blond blintz that ramraided his way into your restaurant a while ago.'

'Oh' Jade said quietly. A shadow fell across her face and she looked out of the window, her hair covering her face so that it was hidden to Starsky's view. He slowed the car.

'Is that a problem?' he asked.

'Problem? Um…I guess not, but answer me one question.'

'Anythin'.'

'You know my brother. That's why you were at my restaurant last night.'

'Yeah, we know Kim.'

Jade turned to look directly at the brunet, her eyes almost as powerfully piercing as Starsky's own. 'Then I need to know. Do you want to take me out because you like me, or because it's a good way to keep my brother in check?'

The directness of the question both took Starsky's breath away and at the same time came as a refreshing change. Most girls he knew would have skirted around the question for days, even weeks whilst the relationship foundered on the rocks. At least Jade had the courage to ask outright.

'I asked you out coz I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I wanted to get to know you better. Not your brother, you. Sure we know about Kim and yeah, we need to keep an eye on him, but it's you I want to get to know. Does that answer your question?'

Jade smiled at him and the smile lit up her eyes. This man was just as straight forwards as she was, and she liked that. In China she had been used to people talking in riddles, always with a double meaning to what they said so that she had to learn to read between the lines. With this man, this curly haired, bruised and battered man, she felt relaxed for the first time and she believed him when he said that he was interested only in her.

'It's fine, thank you' she murmured, settling back into the deep black leather seats.

Starsky drew up outside his apartment, turned off the engine of the car and came around to the passenger side to let Jade out. He held out his hand and she took it, following him up the steps to his front door and waiting patiently as he unlocked it and led her inside. As the brunet busied himself with arranging the lighting and the music to his taste, Jade allowed her eyes to wander about the living room. It was tidy for a man –Jade was used to clearing up after her father and her brother- but the room still felt "lived in" and cozy. Plain comfortable furniture was adorned with colourful throws of some Native American origin and on the coffee table there was an orderly pile of photographic magazines. One whole bookshelf was taken up with paperbacks and more expensive books and interspersed with photographs. In one, a beautiful white girl smiled as she held an arm around Starsky, in another, a man who looked like Starsky but was younger stood beside a tiny, curly haired woman with a fierce expression but the same piercing indigo blue eyes as the cop. Brother and mother? Jade wondered at what sort of family Starsky had…..where he came from…..who he really was beneath the slightly quirky exterior. Tossed to one side of the photographs was an appointment card and she couldn't help but notice it had Memorial Hospital Department of Physiotherapy written on the cover. It nestled beside a small bottle of white pills. What was that all about?

'Have you always lived in Bay City?' she asked.

'Me? No. I was born and brought up in Brooklyn, New York. Me and my brother Nick. There's a photo of him on the bookcase. I moved here when I was about 16 and apart from taking a tour in Viet Nam, I've been here ever since. You?'

'My family moved here from a small island off the coast of mainland China when I was a small girl. I don't remember a lot about my home country except that the countryside was beautiful and we were very poor.'

Starsky stuck his head around the door. 'What made your folks decide to move?'

She shrugged. 'Money I guess. Money and "The American Way". It worked too. Dad would never have been able to afford to develop his own business back home. But here….. well you've seen the success of the Royal Phoenix.' There was pride in her voice and for a moment afterwards there was an awkward silence.

Jade jumped as Starsky came back from the kitchen with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. He placed them on the table and sat on the chair awkwardly, suddenly feeling like a teenager on his first date. The pleasantries were over. Normally now he would be sat beside his girl with his arms around her waist and maybe his tongue stuck somewhere south of her tonsils, but this felt so different. His mouth was dry and although he'd dated scores of girls, he couldn't get over the feeling that somehow this was a new beginning for him. A small voice inside the brunet urged him not to fuck up and Starsky always listened to the voices inside him. They'd saved his life countless times.

Jade sat opposite, her hands folded demurely in her lap, also looking uncomfortable but at the same time so young and fresh and unlike any of the other women Starsky had known that his heart did a little skip of excitement….and fear.

Silence. There was too much silence, despite Wolfgang Amadeus doing his thing in the background. 'Drink?' the cop asked, as much to break into the void as anything.

'Oh, yes, please.' Jade smiled. She watched as Starsky took the cork from the bottle and poured the ruby red liquid into her glass and held it out to her. She took it and swirled the wine around and took a deep breath of the rich fruity aroma, her eyes closed as she concentrated. 'Hmm…..Burgundy?'

'Chateau de Camarsac. It's a Bordeaux. Hutch bought it for me last Christmas although I didn't have the heart to tell him that I like Beaujolais better.'

'Do you know a lot about wine?'

Starsky shrugged. 'I know what tastes good to me but I'm no expert. Why? Does it surprise you?'

'A little.'

He chuckled. 'Well, I have beers in the fridge too. And cold pizza and probably a donut somewhere. See – a true cop!'

Jade giggled and peeped from behind her curtain of hair. 'I didn't mean that. I meant you aren't what I thought you'd be.' The girl used her hair like a shawl, the whole time pulling it around her face so that most of her was in the shadow of the black, glossy veil. It gave her a certain mystique but it was also so unlike the girl Starsky had met the previous evening. It intrigued him.

'Uh huh? You aren't the stereotype either. I thought you'd be more…. I dunno, maybe more um….American?'

Jade looked at him thoughtfully through the shadows of her hair. 'American? I am American, kind of.'

Slowly Starsky slid off the chair so that he was on his knees by Jade's side. There was a sudden desire there to touch her – to make sure that she was real and that this was real and that he was truly having a date, with a girl who was interested in him and not the scars. Almost afraid in case the bubble broke and she would run screaming from the house, gently he lifted his hand as though to brush away her hair but the girl drew back. Starsky paused, suddenly unsure of himself and then persisted and this time Jade allowed him to push her hair back from her face although she frowned as he did so. He hissed as he saw the reason that she was not wearing the high, tight pony tail that night. Down the left hand side of her face a pale bruise in the shape of a hand marred her perfect cafe au lait complexion. Starsky let his finger trail softly over the bruise, his eyebrows V'd in anger as his awkwardness dissipated.

'Who did this to you?' he asked softly

Jade pushed Starsky's hand gently away and rearranged her hair so that once more the bruise was hidden. 'It doesn't matter.' She said in a small voice.

The cop put his hand under her chin and gently raised her face so that he could see her eyes. 'It matters to me. Who did it? Kim?'

'You don't understand. We come from a different place, almost a different time. We may be living in this big beautiful country, but my family's ideals are still all Chinese. My brother is used to being obeyed and I should have been more careful.'

'Careful about what? Did you break a dinner service or kill a customer or sumthin?' Starsky asked angrily.

'I was careless. I didn't have my mind on my work.'

'So what were you doing instead? What's so bad that he beat you? Huh?'

Jade looked away. 'I was talking to you and your other policeman friend' she said defiantly. 'And I've told my brother I will go on talking to whoever I want.'

Starsky sat back on his heels. 'That does it. He's pissed me off once too often' he snapped and made to stand up but the strain on his damaged rib caused a lance-like pain to shoot through his chest and despite his best endeavours, the brunet caught his breath and clutched at his chest, massaging it until the pains subsided. It was Jade's turn to reach out, putting her arm around the cop as though it was the most natural thing in the world to comfort him.

'Are you ok? You seem so worried about me, but you're in pain. What's the matter?'

Starsky got stiffly to his feet and perched on the arm of his chair, waiting out the residual pains. 'Nuthin' he muttered, angry at himself that this evening wasn't going the way he'd planned.

Jade was on her feet, coming to stand by him. 'I don't buy that. You're hurt. Let me look.'

'It's fine' Starsky protested although he wasn't quick enough to stop the girl from gently lifting his shirt and un-tucking his tee shirt. It was Jade's turn to take a sharp intake of breath as she saw the blackened area across Starsky's left side.

'When did this happen? It looks serious. Have you been checked out at the hospital?' Jade's hand rested against the cop's body longer than was absolutely necessary. It felt cool and soft and sent thrills of excitement coursing down Starsky's spine.

'I don't need a hospital' he said, a little too harshly. He sighed. 'I got hurt yesterday. I was careless and it won't happen again. Yeah, it hurts and I think the ribs broken, but I've had too much of hospitals to want to go back.' Why did he mention that? What made him volunteer all that information when he'd vowed that this girl would know nothing of his past?

Jade sat on the chair beside Starsky and looked up. She'd heard the anger in his voice, but it wasn't anger at her, or the person who'd hurt him, or even that he was hurt. The anger sounded more deep rooted somehow, as though this was the tip of the iceberg and that in the past this man had been through more than any man should. But a Chinese woman's duty is not to pry and surprisingly Jade did not push Starsky for details. Instead, she was about to pull her hand away from his side when she felt a large, warm hand over hers.

'M'sorry honey. Do you want to leave?'

Jade looked surprised. 'Do you want me to?'

'Oh god no. you're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. Will you stay? Please?'

'Of course, if you'll let me help you.' She raised a hand as Starsky started to protest. 'No hospitals, I promise. My father suffers from an old injury and when the pain is particularly bad, he asks me to give him a massage. I um…..' her voice trailed away as she thought about what she was saying. Would this man think she was slutty if she asked him to take off his shirt? Would he think less of her for wanting to help? Was she being too forward?

Starsky twisted painfully and looked down at the beautiful girl. 'You don't have to. We can talk and listen to the music. You're my date, not some therapist.'

Jade smiled at him shyly. 'I'd like to help. If you'd let me?'

The brunet let out a shaky breath. 'I have pain meds. I could take one of those, but I'd prefer to remain awake. Sleeping through a first date kinda takes the edge of the romance, don't you think?'

'It can do that, yes' Jade giggled. 'So you'll let me try?'

Starsky held up his hands in mock surrender although something low in his belly was prodding Little Davey awake. 'Where do you want me?' The sparkle in his eyes glinted in the soft lights and for a moment Jade became lost in the depths.

'Here's fine' she whispered. With practised hands she started to unbutton the cop's shirt while Starsky sat passively, his hands on her waist as she worked the cotton free and pulled the clothing free from his shoulders. The brunet raised his arms as she pulled the tee shirt over his head and then Starsky froze. Without thinking, he'd exposed all his newly healed, pinkish, shiny scars to the girl –the one thing he'd vowed he wouldn't do.

_Ok Davey. This is the part where she gets her coat and makes some excuse. You've blown it buddy._

Jade looked at the battered and scarred body in front of her but all she saw was olive toned flesh stretched over a plane of hard muscle and with a liberal coating of dark brown hair across chest and in a well defined line down Starsky's belly, disappearing beneath the belt of his jeans. For a moment, she traced the fuzz with her finger tips, making the brunet shiver with expectation. Jade giggled again.

'What?' Starsky asked. He'd expected gasps, comments, questions, but certainly not mirth.

'You're hairy. Your chest. It's covered in hair. Chinese men have such smooth skin.'

'And?' the brunet was taken aback and at the same time still waiting for the inevitable questions.

'And nothing. I think I like it.' Jade's hand trailed down from the centre of his chest towards the huge bruise on his left side. Her hands were deliciously cool, the skin soft and her pink painted nails scratched his flesh in oh such a seductive way, although Jade didn't seem to know that she was being seductive. The girl was so natural. There was no artifice and this was so evidently not just a plan to get the man out of his clothes. As Jade's fingers hit the first of the long, linear scars stretching down his chest Starsky froze, expecting the first comments. None came. In fact Jade seemed not to be interested in the healed flesh, only in the bones beneath the blackened skin.

'I can feel something broken there' she said, her eyes closed and without thinking Starsky put his arms around her and brought her to him so that he could kiss her deeply. The woman stiffened for a second and then, shyly at first and then with growing confidence, her body responded to his advances and her tongue met his.

Starsky ran his hands down Jade's slim frame just as Jade's hands played across the cop's back, her nails raking delicious pale furrows across his overheated skin. She pulled away, her hand now hovering above the belt of his jeans as Starsky's eyes rested on her perfect face.

'If we're gonna start this honey, we need to be sure coz it's been an awful long time and I don't think my control is up to much tonight. You are so beautiful.'

Jade said nothing. Instead, her hand started to work at the buckle of his jeans and Starsky immediately had his answer as to whether his body would respond to a woman. The rod of flesh stretched the denim fabric tightly across his groin and Starsky gasped as the zipper finally gave way and he could feel Jade's fingers beginning to close around him. His body trembled with desire and pent up emotion and as her hand closed, he flung his head back and gave a low, long groan.

'Oh God!' he panted through clenched teeth. Even that first touch tested his control and he felt spikes of energy jolting through the centre of his body as Jade touched and stroked his cock.

Slowly Jade went to her knees and Starsky followed, determined that he would hold out and give as much pleasure as he was receiving. Gently he pushed Jade to the floor where she lay looking up at him with such trust in her eyes that it made his heart ache with longing. Starsky's left hand started to work at the buttons on Jade's blouse as his right hand caressed her hair and as he got space to work, his hand slid inside her blouse to find her breasts full and ready for him. As he bent to take his first taste, as his tongue prepared for that first encounter and he felt the woman raise up to meet him……the telephone rang.

Jade jumped a little.

'Ignore it' Starsky growled breathlessly.

It rang again.

'You should answer it' Jade mumbled half heartedly.

'I could disconnect it' Starsky said as he licked delicately at the pink rosebud nipple. Jade mewed and bowed her spine.

The telephone rang again, spoiling the moment and Starsky braced himself on his hands, hovering above his woman.

'Damn! Be right back. Don't go away' he said as he got to his feet. Angrily he reached for the receiver.

'Starsky. If this aint life or death I'm hangin' up' he snapped.

'I'm truly sorry buddy' Hutch's voice sounded down the line, 'but Dobey wants us at the meat canning place out by Jamesville. There's another body with Kim's handiwork written all over it.'

For a moment Starsky considered telling Hutch to handle it on his own. Jade's body was just too tempting. Until he thought back to the previous day and the feeling of fear he'd experienced as Kim had knocked the crap out of him. Could he do that to Hutch? Could he bear it if his partner was hurt because he wasn't there as back up?

'You are so gonna owe me partner' he said and slammed down the phone, looking longingly at the beautiful woman sprawled so seductively on his rug.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Starsky put down the telephone so hard that the table it stood on wobbled. Little Davey drooped dismally from the front of his jeans and sorrowfully the brunet stuffed himself back together, zipped up and turned his attention back to Jade. She regarded him with her beautiful almond shaped eyes. What was he supposed to tell her? "Oh by the way. I can't make love to you tonight because I have to go and arrest your brother for murdering someone else"? Somehow he didn't think that that would lead to more nights of romance in front of the TV. Should he lie? And if he did, would she think it was merely a brush-off when Starsky really did want to get to know her better?

'Trouble?' Jade asked.

'Kinda yeah. Look honey, I am so sorry but I'm a cop and we don't work regular hours and….'

'I know. You have bad men to catch. I shall have to resort to cake to replace you although what it will do at my waistline……'

The almost familiar words tugged at Starsky's heart. Something very similar had been said to him once before, that time by another beautiful brunette with shining brown eyes and a smile that could melt the polar ice caps. That girl had died because she loved Starsky and suddenly the cop felt very protective towards Jade, vowing that nothing would happen to her whilst she was with him. He walked towards her, his shyness gone, to be replaced by genuine need.

'If I could stay, I would. You are one amazing lady. The least I can do is to give you a ride home…. and maybe see you tomorrow?'

Jade nodded. 'That would be nice, and the ride home would be nice also.' She started to button her blouse whilst Starsky got together his gun, shield and cuffs. Gone was the Smith and Wessen to be replaced by a Browning Hi-power. The Smith had let him down that day in the police garage. It had snagged on his jacket making his draw a fraction of a second slower than it should have been. Maybe he may not have been able to take out both gunmen. Maybe he may not have avoided the five bullets, but a cop can only allow one mistake from his gun and so he changed. Starsky had been absurdly sentimental about his Smith. It had been with him since his Academy days and when most cops (Hutch included) still liked the reliability of the Colt, Starsky's smaller hand fit the semi-automatics better. It had been a wrench to hand in the hunk of metal that had been with him through good times and bad, but after a few hours on the firing range, even Starsky had to admit that the Browning had more stopping power and better accuracy than his old weapon.

Jade watched as the man set about getting his stuff together. He did it with assurance and with the air of someone who knew exactly what he was doing…and what he was walking into, and the confidence that she suddenly felt from Starsky did funny thinks low down in her belly. Starsky was an enigma – at once shy and unsure of himself and his body, and then transformed into hard nosed, street wise cop. The woman found herself hoping she would have the opportunity to get to know this enigma better. For now, she gathered her shawl and stood by the door, waiting.

They stood by the car as Starsky unlocked it and as she got in Jade saw the mess on the hood. 'Who did that to your beautiful car?' she asked as Starsky got in beside her.

The brunet grunted not wanting to let Jade know that it was her brother's doing. Somehow he got the feeling that that piece of information would really put a damper on their budding relationship. 'A fan' he explained simply

'Wow, that was mean. You have some fans!'

The cop grinned. 'What can I say? It's my animal magnetism, get's 'em every time. Now, where is home?'

'Back at the restaurant. I live above the Royal Phoenix with my Mom and Dad.'

'Jeez. Never a break from work, huh?'

She smiled. 'Something like that. I would have liked to have gone to college, but my family needed someone to seat customers and I was a ready made waitress.' It was said without any emotion and did not beg for sympathy. Jade was simply telling it as it was.

'Maybe one day some prince will come along and sweep you off your feet.'

'Maybe. A tall, dark and handsome one?'

Starsky's pulse raced and he looked sideways at the woman. She must have been ten years his junior with her whole life ahead of her and probably her pick of any guy who set eyes on her. What the hell did she see in him? Why argue? She was with him and not some youngster. Go figure. 'I don't do horses, but I have a Harley with a pillion seat.'

Jade giggled. 'That sounds wonderful. I've never seen a Chinese biker chick.'

'There's always a first time' Starsky smiled as he pulled up outside the Royal Phoenix. 'Home sweet home' he said as he looked up at the building.

'And a welcoming committee too' Jade said in a resigned sort of voice. Outside the restaurant Kim, Quon and Chun were standing in a small group speaking with the two huge doormen. As the TransAm drew up, one of the men must have said something to Kim and he turned to watch, an angry look on his face. The woman sighed. 'Now to face the music.'

'Huh?' Starsky asked.

Jade turned to him and put a hand on his cheek, her skin warm and butter soft against his five o'clock shadow. 'My brother told me not to talk to you. He was angry that I'd spoken with you and your friend last night.'

'So what? You went out with me just to piss him off?' There was a touch of anger and also hurt in the brunet's voice and Jade smoothed her hand down his cheek, trickling her fingers around to his lips to silence him.

'No, not to anger him. I'm my own women despite what he thinks. I was curious and yes, the thought of doing something against his will did encourage me. But I really did want to get to know you better and I'm glad we had some time together. Are you?'

The edge of fear vanished into the mist. She wanted him because she wanted him. Pure and simple. No hidden agenda. Starsky sighed and nestled against her hand for a second. 'I couldn't have asked for a better evening' he said softly. 'And then he has to go and ruin it.'

Jade looked surprised. 'My brother? He's waiting for me, yes. But I can handle him.'

Starsky shook his head. It wasn't just the welcoming committee as much as the fact that Kim had set in motion another murder, not that he could tell Jade that. But at the same time, this was a great excuse to vent his anger and also protect his girl. 'You can handle him by taking another beating? I don't think so. No girl of mine gets hurt coz of me. Not any more' Starsky said decisively. He got out of the car as Jade opened the door.

'No, it's ok Dave. Please. I can handle this' she urged as Starsky took her hand and helped her from the car. As she got out Kim walked over and stood close enough to be intimidating.

'Get inside. I'll deal with you later' the Chinese growled.

'I don't think so Pal' Starsky snapped, putting his own body between Kim and Jade.

Kim grinned. 'Would you like a rematch? If I recall you were the one getting better acquainted with the ground yesterday. How are the bruises Detective?'

'Fine and dandy and yeah, you lay one finger on her and we'll have a rematch. Down at the station where I'm gonna haul your skinny yellow ass if you harm one hair on her head.'

Kim's fists balled and then he seemed to relax them forcibly. He turned to the rest of his group and put his hands to his face in mock horror. 'This little cop is going to arrest me. Save me someone. Call my lawyer!' Kim turned back to Starsky, his face ugly with anger as he pointed his finger menacingly. 'You stay away from my sister and you keep your nose out of my affairs and maybe, just maybe, we will both live long and healthy lives.'

'Is that a threat?' Starsky asked, squaring up to the smaller man.'

Kim smiled. 'No Detective it's not a threat. It's a promise.'

'You….' Starsky's fists came up at the same time as his rage engulfed him. He could feel the anger welling up from deep inside him and despite the fact that his side was still on fire, he had the overwhelming desire to plough his fist into Kim's smiling face.

Jade caught his hand with surprising strength and put herself between the two men, a hand on each of their chests. 'Stop this. Stop this now' she said sharply. She looked at Starsky and let go of his fist, straightening the fingers of his hand so that she could hold it and caress it. 'Go. I'll be fine. Just go and do what you have to do. And I will see you tomorrow' she added defiantly. She turned to Kim who was about to say something when she cut him dead. 'As for you! You talk about Chinese honour, but you don't believe in it. I will meet with who I want and I will talk with who I wish. We are in America now brother, not the homeland and no amount of bruises will stop me doing as I please.' With a toss of her long black hair she stalked off into the restaurant, the men at the door parting to let her through.

Kim turned his attention back to the cop. 'You have no idea of our ways. Say goodbye to her, cop, you will not be meeting with her again, I can promise you that.'

'I mean it, you lay one finger on her and you'll wish you'd never even heard of Bay City. Got that punk?' Starsky snarled.

'Go and play at cops and robbers Mr Policeman. I'm sure there are jaywalkers out there who need your very important attention. But be careful because you never know who will be around the corner watching you and waiting.'

Starsky was about to retort when he saw Jade waiting by the door. The girl shook her head, pleading silently with him not to make this a full scale battle, and for once, Starsky listened. Deep down, the memory of his last fight with Kim called to him. He could still feel the fists ploughing into him and still hear the sickening thud as the foot connected with the side of his face. Somewhere deep inside, Starsky's self preservation button got pressed and he backed off a step, angry at himself for the fear he felt in coming up against this Chinese one man battle zone again. Balling up his anger and stuffing it deep down inside him, he ignored Kim's comments. With a dignity he didn't feel, Starsky walked slowly and assuredly to the car and got in. It took a will of iron not to wince as the movement once again caught at his rib and chest, but it would have been an icy day in hell when Starsky let Kim see how much he was hurt. Without a backwards glance, he gunned the engine and drove away in a squeal of tyres.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Ken Hutchinson was waiting at the main gate to the meat packaging plant when the black TransAm drew to a halt. He leaned casually against the side of his own new car, the seventh in a long line of old, dust coloured, rust enhanced beaters and watched as his partner got out of his own car, shuddered slightly at the sight of the ruined hood and walked over to join him. Something about Starsky had changed that night – something good. Hutch had made a science out of watching his buddy surreptitiously. Since the smaller man had got out of the hospital Hutch had made it his job to make sure Starsky was ok, meaning pain free or at least with his pain under control. He'd watched as Starsky had fought back to health and Hutch had started his own personal battle to get back to the cop he knew he could be…..before Kira…..before the shooting…. before his life went down the pan. Whilst Starsky's hair was worn fashionably longer these days, Hutch had gone back to his customary shorter style and was once again clean shaven and a tower of lean, blond muscle. Side by side, he and Starsky had battled to regain their former fitness and the day that the police surgeon finally admitted that Starsky had proved everyone wrong and was now ready to resume his place at Hutch's side, both men had had the celebration to end all celebrations.

Life was good. They were complete again. Salt and pepper; wet and dry; day and night. Starsky and Hutch.

But after the celebration had ended, the hard work began again. Despite his physical fitness, it had taken the brunet a lot of time and a lot of mental discipline to get back onto the street. Even Starsky was surprised how vulnerable he'd felt that first time he'd ridden out with Hutch. Loud noises; sudden moves, all held the possibility of further attacks on him and by the end of that first week, he admitted to himself, if not to Hutch that he was a mental wreck.

Hutch had watched his partner battle his demons, knowing there was little he could do to help except be there for Starsky. Not that Starsky would have accepted much help – he was, as always, stubborn to the end, the very quality that had brought him through the bullets, pain, fevers, infections and multiple surgeries. This was something the smaller man had to do for himself and gradually as the days wore on, Starsky's confidence started to return to the point where Dobey finally gave them a proper assignment instead of interviewing bit players, catching up with contacts and snitches and generally getting back into the game. Then came the name "Red Dragons" and life began for real. Both men got a new lease of life and plunged themselves into the assignment with all the zeal of rookies, staying late in the squad room, ploughing through piles of records and exchanging the playful insults they'd missed in months past.

There was something always missing however. Hutch couldn't put his finger on exactly what that "something" was until now. As he watched Starsky walking towards him, it suddenly dawned on Hutch that he'd missed that strut of those slim hips. For the past 6 weeks Starsky had been walking around almost as though he were treading on eggshells, as though he wanted to be invisible –not scared, not even cautious. It was something indefinable, until now.

The strut was back, and with it the crooked grin and a fire behind those indigo blue eyes that had not been there for almost a year. It warmed Hutch's heart and yet he knew if he was to comment on it, Starsky would immediately deny that anything had changed. And so Hutch plastered his best "bad cop" expression on his face and scowled at his partner.

'Took ya long enough' the blond muttered.

'The best things are worth waiting for. At least that's what I told Jade.'

'I didn't interrupt anything important did I?' Hutch asked innocently.

Starsky gave Hutch his best poker face. 'I had a stiff problem and I was about to come up with a solution. Your timing stinks Hutchinson. What do we have here?'

'Dobey phoned and told me to get you and meet him down here. Same M.O. as before. The vic has had his throat ripped out, but not before someone had a real good time with…..Starsk? Are you listening to me? Starsky!'

Starsky brought his attention back to Hutch with an effort. 'Huh? You were saying?'

'Jeez, I know you say I can be boring but….. What got your attention buddy?'

Starsky rubbed at the side of his nose thoughtfully. 'Our mole. I thought I saw a car I recognised driving away.'

Hutch's voice lowered, even though there was no-one other than his partner within earshot. 'Patterdale?'

'I can't be certain, but….yeah. I think so.'

'Oh now wait a minute Starsk. Are you telling me that Clay Patterdale, a cop of twenty years, has somehow murdered….. shit!'

Starsky shook his head. 'I'm not sayin' anything for now. It might not have been his car. It might not have been him.'

'Uh huh. And the next President of the United States might not be a white guy. C'mon Starsk. It's all starting to fit into place.'

'It's an ugly place.'

'We've been to worse.'

'Not with someone we've known so long.'

'I thought you didn't like Patterdale?' Hutch said.

'Uh uh. I don't dislike him. It's him that always seems to have a problem with me.'

Hutch shrugged. 'Really! And you such a likeable guy. C'mon Dobey's waiting.'

Starsky paused for a moment and then jogged to catch up with his partner. 'Hey! I'm likeable….sometimes. What do we tell Dobey?'

Hutch stopped in his tracks. 'Do you want to be the one to tell him that his longest serving officer is the mole without a shred of solid evidence to back that statement up?'

The brunet cocked his head on one side. 'When you put it like that…. Ok, we keep schtum.'

Hutch nodded. 'For now, yeah. But there's gonna come a time.'

Starsky shook his head. 'I vote you get to break the good news. I'll be the guy hidin' right behind ya.'

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'Did he die well?' Kim asked the cop sitting uneasily across from him.

'He didn't die easily, if that's what you mean. He took his time.'

'So you had to be up close and personal?' The Chinese man sat forwards a little in his seat and the pulse in the side of his neck throbbed visibly, like a neon sign flashing "excited" to the world. There was a light behind his dark brown eyes that glowed with an orange fire and the cop opposite felt as though Kim's eyes were boring into his.

The cop swallowed hard. The fight had been hard and the victim had been scared enough as to try anything to get away with his life. The look in the victim's eyes when the cop finally held him down, his hand poised to rip out that throbbing, bobbing throat would stay with him in his nightmares for the rest of his life. 'I had to be closer than I would have liked, yes. But since you forbade me from using a gun, because as you pointed out the ammunition could be traced back to the owner, I had to go with what I had available – my hands.'

'You did well. Does anyone suspect? Are you able to keep this from your partner? I know how it is with you cops. Your partner is like your brother, or even your keeper.'

The cop snickered. 'He's a rookie when it comes to things like this. I've made sure enough that he doesn't know fuck about me. If he does suspect, which I'm sure he doesn't, it's been nothing I've done or said that's led him to that suspicion.'

'Good. Now we must turn our attention to more current problems. Those two cops are getting too close for my comfort. The dark haired one is even trying to date my sister.'

'Starsky is a ladies man. He'll fuck anything in a skirt. As for Hutch, he isn't far behind in the Romeo stakes.'

Kim wagged his finger at the cop. 'I don't like them swimming in my soup. I want them gone. How do we do it?'

The cop swallowed. It was OK to kill one of Bay City's scum with his bare hands, but now they were beginning to talk about killing other cops. That wasn't what he'd joined the force for. Too much time had passed for him to even contemplate killing one of his team members.

'I don't um…..I don't.'

Kim stood and started to pace. 'You don't run with the Dragons without paying the price. This is the price and don't forget I know where your family live. We live by our code and our code is honour first. You will do exactly as I wish, or your family will find themselves attending a funeral. Am I making myself clear?'

'As day, but it's tough.'

Kim grinned wolfishly. 'I wouldn't ask if it were easy. Now tell me how I can make sure that those two cops don't spoil my plans.'

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'I need a burrito' Starsky said as they stepped out of the packaging plant into the heat and the early morning sunshine. The place smelled of death at the best of times, but the stench of fear also hung heavy in the air inside the vast building and the flies had already made themselves at home on the corpse of the victim. This time it was Freddy "The Nose" Wilson. He was a bit player in Bay City, nothing more and he'd been one of Starsky and Hutch's best snitches….. until his throat had been ripped out. His eyes had been wide and fearful even in death and Hutch shuddered at the memory.

'How can you even consider food after that?' he asked.

'Protein is good for you' the brunet muttered sagely. 'And apart from that the smell of fried onions might just get the stink of death out of my nostrils.'

Hutch took the half hunter watch out of his pocket and flicked the lid open. The fingers were crawling around to 5.45. 'It's time we were signing off anyhow. My constitution obviously isn't as strong as yours buddy. I'm gonna go home and get a couple of hours kip before we have to be back on duty.' Hutch yawned and stretched and scrubbed his hands down his face tiredly.

'I'm gonna head back down town. There's a couple of things I want to check out before I turn in. Then maybe I can meet Jade and…..'

'You will make time to work somehow?' Hutch made it a question and raised his eyebrows although inside he felt happy for his partner.

Starsky grinned. 'If I have the energy after breakfast with Jade….'

The blond threw up his hands in mock surrender. 'Enough already! I'll be around at your place at 10.30. Dobey wanted to see us at 11.'

Starsky checked his watch. 'It'll have to be a quickie with Jade then. See ya.' He got into his car and asked for a patch through to the number Jade had given him. As he signed onto the radio, however, Minnie's voice interrupted his request.

'Starsky, I have a patch through from Joe Boone. He seems a little upset.'

'Boone? What does he want?'

'Honey, it's almost 6. I've been working since 10 last night and I'm pooped. I'm the messenger, nothing more. Now are ya going to take the patch and let a girl get some well earned shut eye?'

Starsky sighed dramatically. 'I could come and snuggle.'

Minnie tutted loudly down the phone. 'You couldn't handle me honey. I'm more woman than you could imagine.'

'I can imagine plenty.'

'Patching Boone through.'

There was a click and a hiss of static on the line and then Joe Boone's voice. 'Starsky? Is that you? Where are you? Can you talk? Oh god!'

'Hey, Boone. Slow down buddy. What's the matter? Don't tell me, the Metro's burned down and we're all out of jobs.'

'Patterdale is missing. I need your help.'

'Clay? Shit!' Starsky's memory took him back to just before he and Hutch walked into the meat packaging plant and the brunet watched the big black car drive away. 'When did you see him last?'

'A while ago. He said…. He said he had somewhere to be and that's the last I've seen of him. We had an argument and….'

'Have you told Dobey that you're worried?'

'No! Oh god no. Dobey has me on probation anyway. I don't want to tell him I've lost my partner. You know what it's like Starsky. There's only you I can turn to. Will you help me? I think……I think he's into something.'

'Something as in something criminal?' Starsky asked, his mind working a mile a minute.

There was a pause. 'I don't want to talk here. Can we meet somewhere? Somewhere private. I could um….. Maybe I could meet you at mine, or maybe better if it's your house. Can I meet you there, now?'

Starsky thought for a moment and then sighed. If he suspected Hutch of bending the law he wouldn't tell Dobey either. Boone was just trying to be a good partner to Patterdale – even if Patterdale didn't seem to deserve it. '2000 Ridgeway. I'll see you in 20 minutes.'

'Hurry Starsky. I'm really worried about him. I don't know what to do.'

The curly haired cop slammed his car door closed and thought for a moment of calling Hutch to meet him at his house too. The blond man had looked all in. Hutch was tired and needed sleep and in any event, Starsky could find out details from Boone first and call Hutch afterwards. Patterdale wasn't going anywhere any time soon. Starsky drove purposefully through the early morning sunshine. The brightness was infectious and as he drove he put the radio on and joined in with "Lets do the Time Warp Again" at the top of his voice. By the time he turned down the road to his house, his feelings of unease had dissipated and he pulled to a halt outside his apartment, turned off the engine and got out of the car, taking a deep breath of the sweet early morning air. There was no sign of Boone's car yet and so Starsky bounded up the steps, put his key in the lock and let himself into his living room quietly.

With the drapes still drawn from the night before, the place was in darkness and his hand fumbled for the light switch. As he felt the toggle beneath his fingers, a prickle of apprehension ran up Starsky's spine and raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Rattler quick, he started to reach beneath his jacket for his gun but at the same time something rushed him from behind with all the weight of a express train. The air was knocked from Starsky's lungs with an audible "wumph" and he felt himself fall forwards. He had just enough time to think "shit" before he landed on his hands and knees and he felt someone or something heavy straddle his back, pushing him forwards.

'Hey!' he managed to yell before a cuff across the back of his head cut him off. A sack of some kind was pushed roughly over his head. The cloth smelled stale and old and particles of dust caught in his eyes and itched at his nose. Starsky tried to pull the sack away but someone had his hands held behind his back and as he started to protest a set of fists connected solidly with the deep, dark bruise over his left side, the world sparkled for an instant, and Starsky fell forwards, unconscious onto the floor.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Jade pushed her way back inside the restaurant, ignoring the comments from the two guards on the door. The men had been talking about her, she knew. Kim was not the only sibling with a blazing temper and as her brother swaggered up behind her, the woman rounded on him.

'Don't even start' she snapped.

'Then don't give me cause.'

'You're my brother, not my keeper. How dare you make comment on what I do?'

Kim smiled a smile that did not reach his eyes. 'It's not what you do, it's who you do. You should be more choosy of the company you keep.'

'Who I …? Oh now wait one minute' Jade protested. Her night had been an innocent meeting. Ok, well maybe not quite so innocent and she would have been willing to go further if the telephone had not rung, but now she was full of righteous indignation.

'I don't want your attitude and I don't want your excuses. I forbade you from seeing him and you went against my wishes.'

Jade stood her ground, facing off against her brother whilst her slim frame shook with anger. 'We had this conversation once before. Maybe in the old country I would have to bow to your wishes brother, but we aren't in the old country. This is America and we are all equal. You can't boss me around or dictate who I see or who I date. I'll date who I damned well please.'

Kim's hand slapped against Jade's face with such power that she staggered backwards in shock and pain. She felt the burning of the blow against her already bruised cheek but refused to touch it. Her eyes burned with hatred and she readied herself, legs slightly bent and arms held in front of her, body loose but ready. Kim was not the only one proficient in marshal arts.

The Chinese man didn't pause. Kim's temper was legend and he snarled as he came at his sister with a welter of strikes that were faster than the eye could follow. Jade was equally as fast and parried those blows easily. As Kim stepped away, she took her cue and pirouetted on one perfectly balanced leg to deliver a roundhouse kick to Kim's face. At the last moment the man side stepped and grasped Jade's foot, throwing the woman backwards. Jade tumbled onto the floor, rolled easily and stood again in one graceful movement as Kim came at her again. This was sibling rivalry gone mad and there was no light of compassion in Kim's eyes. Temper had taken away his control and now this was not his sister, but just another combatant who needed to be taught just how superior Kim was.

In a whirlwind of punches Kim came at Jade again and this time, with the pain of the blows that had already connected, Jade could not ward off all the strikes. Kim's fist connected with her slim body time and again and now her brother was using feet as well as hands. Jade started backing up as another fist connected with her left cheek. The woman felt the skin tear and her lip split so that she licked coppery blood. She backed again, trying desperately to ward off the blows although her forearms were numb from the constant impacts. She was tiring fast and was in no doubt that Kim would not stop until she was unconscious or worse. Desperately she ducked once more and this time Kim staggered and tripped against one of the tables set for dinner. As the man righted himself, Jade got herself into position and let out a calming breath. She visualised her fist hitting a wall at the other side of Kim's face, not contacting with it, but punching right through the flesh and blood. Kim was marginally too slow to duck and with the full force of her body behind the strike, Jade hit out at her brother's head, letting out a war cry yell as she did so.

Kim had only a fraction of a second for his eyes to register surprise and anger before the fist connected with his nose. The athletic Chinese man's body collapsed to the ground unconscious in a spray of blood and Jade staggered against the nearest table to keep from falling. Kim was out for the count and now she knew he would be mad enough to kill her for real when he awoke. It was no use going to her father for support. Old man Lin was a traditionalist who thought that the men of the family ruled the women's lives, and Jade's Mom had lived by that rule for so long that she would be of no use to the girl either.

Stunned, Jade staggered towards the door of the restaurant, shaking off the hands of the two doormen who came partly to support her and partly to stop her from leaving. She made it out into the cooler air of the night and, holding her shawl up to her face to disguise the blood and damage, she staggered around the corner and headed for the phone booth there. With shaking hands, she punched buttons on the phone and waited.

'Bay City Police Department' a man's voice answered.

'I need to speak with Sergeant David Starsky' Jade said, fighting to keep her voice from breaking down into tears.

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Some chairs are not meant to be comfortable. Some chairs are overstuffed and make your back ache when you sit on them for too long. Some chairs are too soft and make your neck ache. Some chairs are just plain wood, with no padding. Dave Starsky's study of seating arrangements didn't go past those three types but he knew for sure that the chair he now sat upon belonged to the latter. It was rough wood, hard and unforgiving.

How long he had been sitting in the chair was difficult for him to make out and rising from it was impossible due to the rough ropes biting into his wrists and ankles, pulling his hands around to his back and securing his feet to the front legs of the chair. Not that he wanted to wriggle too much just at the moment. Wriggling would indicate that he was once more awake and until he could distinguish just where he was and who he was with, Starsky opted for feigning sleep. It seemed the safest bet. Cowardly? Maybe, but it was more practicality. Anyone who ties an unconscious man to a chair isn't likely to want to give that same man a champagne reception when he awakes.

The sack was still over Starsky's head when wakefulness claimed him. Consciousness came back slowly to the bound cop and with it a pounding headache and a feeling that he was going to toss his cookies at any moment. For long minutes Starsky was locked in a silent battle with his stomach. Throwing up was a great signal to those who had captured him to tell them that he was awake. It was difficult to breathe beneath the sacking hood. The air around his face felt stuffy and stale and the cloth smelled of old grain and mustiness. It felt dirty and the air felt unclean as he breathed shallowly but evenly through the sacking and when Starsky opened his eyes he felt the grit and dust from the dirty fabric catching at his eyelashes and falling into his eyes making them feel as though he'd had boulders inserted under his eyelids.

The brunet fought to keep his body still whilst he listened to what was going on around him. He seemed to be in a large space because the machine gun rattle of angry Chinese voices echoed slightly around the walls. It was cold, and yet he felt his shirt and jeans still in place. That was something at least. Worse than waking up tied and vulnerable was waking up tied, vulnerable and naked. Somehow, being clothed made Starsky feel a little safer. It was an illusion, he knew, but he hugged that illusion to him. From bitter experience he knew that any tiny feeling of safety might help him to better withstand whatever was going to happen to him. As a cop he'd been unfortunate enough to have been in similar positions too many times before and mentally he braced himself for what was surely to come.

Did all cops get beaten up this regularly?

Nope. Starsky snickered silently to himself. _It's just you bein' so lucky Davey boy_ he reasoned. For one sickening moment Starsky thought about the young cop who'd been due to meet him at his house. Had these bastards got Boone too? And if they had, how would the younger guy fare?

The Chinese voices quietened for a moment. Kim! It had to be Kim and the Red Dragons. How many more Chinese gangs were willing to take out a cop? Damn! Starsky pricked his ears as there was a sound of struggling. Someone was breathing heavily as though they'd been exercising too much, or had maybe lifted a heavy weight. The hard breathing ceased and then there was the sound of a fist hitting something hard and yet with a certain give to it. It didn't sound like a fist hitting flesh, that was a wet, squishy sound. This was more like…. Starsky searched his memory for where he'd heard that sound before and it came to him suddenly. It sounded like a punch-bag down at Vinny's gym and now that he listened more carefully he could hear feet dancing about against the floor and the sound of breath being exhaled as another punch struck.

Someone was exercising? What was that all about?

Starsky had little time to muse upon the fact however as suddenly a pointed finger located the deep black bruise over his broken rib and poked hard against his side. Without being able to see in order to prepare himself, Starsky let out a deep groan, betraying the fact that he was awake and in the next instance the hood was ripped from his head and he took his first lungful of clean fresh air.

The Chinese man at his side grabbed a handful of Starsky's hair and pulled his head back so that Starsky looked up into cold, bright almond eyes. For a moment those eyes stared down at him and then the hand let go of the brunet's hair and Starsky head slumped forwards. The move didn't exactly enhance his headache but the fresh air outside the cloying confines of the hood made him feel more awake. Opening his eyes, Starsky took his first look around.

Kim was stripped to the waist in front of him, dancing like a professional boxer around a full sized punch-bag hung from the ceiling of the large room. It was a non descript room with only the punch-bag, Starsky's chair and a plain wooden table. The floorboards were bare and the walls were painted a sickly cream colour with paint peeling away in the corners.

To one side of Starsky stood two more of the Chinese goons he'd seen at the restaurant and the cop felt someone out of eyesight behind his back also.

Kim continued to dance around the punch-bag. He wore boxing gloves but he also kicked at the bag, landing blow after blow against the soft red leather. As he kicked he let out yells which seemed to fuel his zeel and as the sweat poured down the lithe body, Kim went into a final welter of blows ending with a huge roundhouse kick which set the punch-bag spinning.

For a moment the Chinese man stood breathing hard before turning to Starsky a though seeing him for the first time.

'Do you know who your friends are, detective?' Kim asked.

It was an odd question and took Starsky off guard. 'Well it wouldn't include you. Sorry to disappoint.'

Kim smiled. 'No, I mean do you really know who your friends are? Sometimes we can be very surprised by what we find. Sometimes those we least suspect turn out to be our enemies. You fucked my sister.'

Starsky managed a crooked grin. 'You got the wrong guy mister.'

'I don't think so. She seemed to enjoy the time she spent with you.'

Starsky started to struggle against the ropes holding him in place. 'Don't you lay a fuckin' finger on her' he snarled.

'Or else what? You'll breathe on me? You seem to forget, I hold all the cards. Including the ace card. The mole in the cop's camp.'

The brunet shook his head. 'We knew about Patterdale long ago' he snapped.

'I forgot. You cops are all so clever.'

'We aim to please.'

Kim stood to one side of the punch-bag. 'You've known him a long time?'

'Uh huh. There aint no love lost between us.'

'Then you won't mind this' Kim said, reaching up to unzip the side of the punch-bag. A moment later a body toppled out from the interior of the bag that Kim had been so expertly pummelling only moments before. Clay Patterdale's body lay curled into a ball, bloody and broken and a low moan escaped his blood frothed lips.

'Is that what you do to the guys that help ya?' Starsky asked quietly as he watched the body on the ground. He didn't particularly like Patterdale and he knew the feeling was mutual, but no-one deserved this kind of treatment.

A voice from behind him joined in the conversation. 'Patterdale got in the way. It's a shame. I almost got to like the guy, but there again, partners are meant to be like brothers, aren't they Starsky. I couldn't have him blowing my little operation out of the water, could I?' Joe Boone walked around so that Starsky could see him fully. 'Just like you and that fag Hutchinson huh?'


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Hutch let himself into his own house quietly. Venice Place was in darkness, the curtains closed against the early morning sunshine and from habit, the blond man walked straight through the darkened living room and out to his greenhouse to his beloved plants. The plants were his relaxation, his pride and joy and on occasions his salvation. They were quiet, held a beauty all of their own and were silent companions. Plants never answered back. They didn't require walks, like a dog, neither did they need the attention a cat did. They didn't answer back to him and they didn't argue with him or second guess his decisions. The plants were merely there, waiting for him to come and linger with them, breathing in their perfume, watering here, pruning there.

It had always been the same. For such a big, all action type of guy, Hutch had always found a quiet serenity around the greenery first in his Mom's garden and then, lately in his greenhouse. And that greenhouse had seen plenty of use during the past months when Starsky had been at deaths door, or recovering from the bullet wounds. After harrowing days watching his partner fight for life, Hutch had come home, locked himself into the greenhouse and lost himself in their calming company. Many was the night he'd fallen asleep in there and woken stiff and sore but calm in the morning, ready to face the next in the long line of Starsky's fevers or physio sessions.

Now Hutch lingered in that same small room, letting his fingers drift through the lacy leaves of his favourite maiden hair fern. His head was once more in turmoil and, again, the subject of that turmoil was his partner. At first, Hutch had been so happy to see the life return to those familiar indigo eyes. The strut in the step that had been missing for so many months had made a welcome return and it was all because of a woman.

One night not too long ago, Starsky had sat down in that very conservatory with Hutch. They'd had a few beers at The Pitts and had come home slightly the worse for wear. Hutch had tried unsuccessfully all night to get the curly haired cop fixed up with Antonia, a leggy brunette with assets to die for and legs that went all the way up. Although Starsky had been a gentleman and had made all the right noises, at the end of the night, he'd kissed Antonia chastely on the cheek, told her she was a great chick and had made a quick exit to the bathroom. Hutch had been left to try to make some sort of explanation to the girl and her friend who had been understandably upset and had finally calmed their ruffled feathers and got them a cab. Then he'd gone in search of Starsky who was uncomfortably quiet on the way home. Eventually with a beer in his hand and slightly slurred speech, Hutch had asked Starsky what the hell was going on……and had been stunned at the answer.

'_I can't get it up.'_

'_Huh?'_

'_You heard. Hutch I've had more tubes and pipes stuck up it since I got shot and every time it was some pretty nurse who had to do the deed. They all smiled at me and they had their hands all over me……I mean it's every guy's wet dream aint it? To have women all over 'em like that? Well I did. They were all over me, down there and….. I don't wanna brag but I'm more'n a handful down there. And always before, when I've had…..ya know…..fantasies, it's been great. Till it happened for real and…. and I couldn't get it up.'_

'_Aww Starsk. What kinda guy could get it up with all that plumbing going on down there. Damn it buddy, you had tubes where tubes were never meant to be!'_

'_And that's what I'm sayin'. They've done sumthin to me. I used to be horny as hell most of the time and now….. shit! I've sat at home with Playboy on my lap and never even so much as a rise. How can I date a chick if at the end of it I just go down on her and can't finish it, huh?'_

'_But you have to give yourself a chance Starsk. There's a world of difference between pictures in a porn mag and the real deal.'_

_And Starsky's troubled eyes had bored into Hutch's through a fog of beer, but the words and the sentiment were clear enough. 'Would you want to chance it?'_

Hutch had been so happy to see Starsky looking happy with himself because that conversation had stayed with him for weeks. The flush on Starsky's face tonight had said it all. He could achieve and Hutch was over the moon for his buddy. On the way home, however, alone in his car, Hutch had started to have misgivings. Starsky had once before got mixed up with a beautiful girl who just happened to be part of an investigation they were carrying out. On that occasion, he'd been sent in undercover to woo Rosey Malone so that the Feds could get to her father. The romance had become the real thing and when Rosey had chosen life with her father over marriage with Starsky, it had taken months for the brunet to fully get over the loss. Was it all happening again with Jade? Could Hutch, in all honesty, allow it? Whatever happiness she could give the curly haired man now, it would all be for nothing if Starsky had once again to give up the love of his life because of an ongoing investigation. Even true love can have boundaries.

For a full hour Hutch sat on his favourite chair surrounded by his plants as he mulled over what was happening with Starsky. Should he warn his best buddy away from Jade and spoil the first true happiness Starsky had had for months? Or should he stand back and let life take its course, knowing that at the end of the affair, he would be the one to pick up the pieces and put Starsky back together again?

So many difficulties and so many things to weigh one against the other. Starsky had once gone out on a limb for Hutch, when Gillian, the love of his life had been discovered to be a high class hooker. Then Starsky had taken his life savings from the bank and had offered it all to the woman just so that she would leave and save Hutch from a broken heart. As it was, Gillian didn't take the money and eventually paid for her romance with Hutch with her life. Did Hutch want that sort of thing to happen to Starsky? Although he knew he, Hutch, would do anything for his partner, the blond also reminded himself that he had Jade to consider too.

The maiden hair fern allowed her leaves to trail through the blond man's fingers one more time and then Hutch rose heavily from his chair.

'Your right, dammit!' he said to the plant. 'How come something so beautiful can be so wise, huh?'

Hutch opened the door to the greenhouse just as the telephone rang_. Ok, Starsk, old man, ready yourself for the pep talk. Uncle Hutch is gonna spoil your enjoyment again._ Hutch braced himself as he reached for the phone.

'Starsk, I'm…..'

'Detective Hutchinson? Is that you?' A woman's voice sounded down the telephone and brought the blond man up short.

'Yeah. Who's this?'

'It's Jade Lin. From the Royal Phoenix Restaurant? We met….'

'Jade! Are you ok? Is Starsky there?' Hutch's stomach had bunched painfully as he forced the words out. Had the brunet had some sort of relapse?

'No, that's why I'm ringing you. We had a date last night and then Dave was called away. He dropped me back at home and….. Well, I needed to see him, but when I telephoned the station they couldn't get a hold of him. They said his phone line was dead.'

The pain in Hutch's stomach redoubled and he clutched the phone harder. 'When was this?'

'I tried to phone him about 15 minutes ago. My brother is angry Detective and now I'm worried for Dave.'

'You think Kim has something to do with his phone line going down?'

The woman's voice came back pained and hushed. 'My brother was very angry.'

'Are you ok?' Hutch asked.

'I'm a little bruised, but I managed to get away. I'm scared Hutch…..can I call you Hutch? I feel like we've never properly been introduced.'

The flaxen haired cop smiled at the sudden formality in the girl's voice. 'Sure. I need you to go home and wait. If you heard from Sta…Dave, call the station and have them patch through to me.'

'I have no home to go to' Jade said quietly.

'Where are you?'

'In a phone booth at the corner of….. East Central and Durham.'

Hutch's mental map plotted a course. 'I know it. Stay put, try to keep in the shadows, or a doorway. I'm comin' to get you.'

'Please. I can take care of myself. Find Dave.'

Hutch snorted. 'I need to get you safe first. Maybe you can help. Gimme 10 minutes to get to you and then we'll find Starsky.'

Hutch put the phone down and grabbed his holster, gun, jacket, badge and cuffs. He bounced down the steps from his apartment three at a time and out to his car and within a minute of putting the phone down was out on the road and heading for the city centre. As he drove, Hutch cursed himself. Why hadn't he warned Starsky off getting mixed up with Jade earlier? Why hadn't he stooped his partner even before this had begun? Why hadn't he just dragged Starsky out of the restaurant last night and high tailed it home with the smaller man?

Why?

Such a small word that held so many other possibilities. Hutch shook himself. Hindsight was a great thing to beat himself over the head with and he could do all the head bashing he wanted later, but right now he had a bad feeling about his partner and he needed to keep all his concentration on that one thing. Find Jade, find Starsky and arrest Kim.

The battered brown car drew around the corner onto East Central and coasted along to the next corner. The phone booth was empty and Hutch stopped the car and got out, his eyes searching the shadows. Jade saw the cop's flaxen hair haloed in the light from a street lamp and came out from her hiding place deep in the darkness of a store doorway. She almost ran into Hutch's arms and clung to the big man so that he had to forcibly hold her away from his body so that he could check her out. Only then did Hutch see the blackening bruise down the side of Jade's face, the still bleeding lip and the awkward way she held her right arm.

'What happened?' he asked.

Jade looked around her as though checking for her brother's men. 'May we get into your car? I feel very vulnerable out here.'

'Sure' Hutch opened the door for her and she got in with a barely stifled hiss of pain. The blond man trotted around to the driver's door and got in, carefully checking out his passenger. 'What happened? We need to get you to a hospital.'

'I'm fine….honestly. Please, let's just find David. I have a bad feeling.'

'He's probably tucked up in bed and he's forgotten to pay his phone bill' Hutch said without conviction. His "partner senses" told him something seemed wrong, but then again, they'd been on red alert for months now. Maybe they just needed a rest from overwork. He set his car in motion again and pressed the pedal to the metal. No sense in slouching, huh?

15 minutes later, Hutch turned the car into Ridgeway and pulled up outside 2000. The black TransAm was still parked in its customary spot, the bare metal on the hood shining brightly in the early morning sunshine. Hutch got out of his own car and automatically reached for his gun. The huge Colt was in his hand even before he realised he'd drawn it and the blond man snickered to himself as he cautiously climbed the steps to his partner's front door.

'Sure. Nothing's wrong. Just going to check on Starsk. Just draw the gun anyway Kenny.'

Jade followed behind the cop and it wasn't until Hutch had gained the top step that he realised his instincts had been right. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he saw that the front door was pulled to, but was not fully closed. Either Starsky was getting exceedingly sloppy, or something very wrong had occurred. Hutch signalled for Jade to hang back as he pressed his own back to the wall of the apartment, next to the front door. With the barrel of his gun Hutch pushed at the open door and pulled back, waiting for the bullet. It didn't come and carefully, the blond cop peered through the open doorway at the scene of the struggle inside.

'Shit!' he muttered as he rushed through the doorway and stood in the middle of the upturned furniture and the smashed photograph frames and pottery. Behind him, he heard a gasp and turned to see Jade, her hand up to her mouth in shock.

'Dave' she whispered.

'Uh huh. Starsk' Hutch echoed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Starsky stared at the younger cop with such intensity that eventually Boone had to look away to avoid those accusations held in the deep indigo eyes. Even though Starsky was securely tied to the chair, Boone felt that the curly haired cop could be dangerous and whilst the younger man felt righteous indignation that Starsky had queered his pitch, he also felt a prickle of fear raise the hairs on the back of his neck.

'Why?' Starsky asked.

'Why not?' Boone answered. 'A cop's wage was never gonna make me rich.'

'Clay Patterdale was your partner.'

'No, he was a guy I worked with, nothing more.'

Starsky shook his head slowly. 'I don't understand.'

A blow caught the brunet across the face, snapping his head sideways so that Starsky saw stars and tasted sweet copper on his lips. He licked at the blood and tried to focus his attention onto Kim's face. The Chinese man stood in front of him, his impressive muscled body glistening with the sweat of his exercise.

'Ignore him. Answering me is more important.'

Starsky squinted up at Kim from the corner of his eye. The young Chinese was silhouetted against the bright naked light bulb dangling from the ceiling and the light lanced into Starsky's eyes setting off fire cracker pains in his head. 'What d'ya want to know?' has asked quietly.

'I know you messed with my sister.'

'That aint a question' Starsky mumbled and instantly regretted it as the side of Kim's foot came up and swept around, catching Starsky on the side of his face across the bruises he'd already had from the day before. For a moment a wave of nausea caught the brunet and his stomach churned so that he tasted bile in the back of his throat, acrid and sour. Starsky swallowed and tried to concentrate on what Kim was saying, but the whistling in his ear, that had, over the space of the past 24 hours started to die down, now came back with a vengeance and drowned out the voices around him.

Kim took a hold of Starsky's face and turned it up towards him so that the cop could see Kim's lips moving. 'You fucked Jade. Why?'

It took moments for Starsky to make sense of the question. Deep down in the pit of his stomach, a deep throb of fear had started. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. No one cop could be so unlucky. He'd paid his price almost a year ago in that police garage. He'd served his time in the hospital, so why him? Why now? He should be living to a ripe old age with Hutch by his side as they drove around handing out tickets for jay walking and illegal parking. Could he stand this ill treatment any more? Could his body truly heal another beating? Back in the alley yesterday, Kim had knocked a hell of a lot of confidence out of the brunet. That confidence had been hard fought for and hard won. He wasn't a coward. No-one could ever level that at him, but this was outrageous. His body had just healed five bullet wounds and god knows how many surgeries and now there was this yellow skinned bastard trying to rip him apart again. Could he survive any more?

Did he want to?

Through all the months of recovery, the only thing that had truly kept Starsky sane was the idea of once more getting back onto the streets with Hutch. He'd never thought about the bad times they'd had – the death of his lady; Gillian; Mad George Prudholme…..the other flakes who's personal vendettas had caused mayhem to him and his partner. It was just the idea of once again being fit, healthy and part of a dynamic team that had forced him on through his pain and fevers. That, and Hutch's constant quiet presence at his side.

Now, tied to this chair, with a mad Chinese dancing and weaving in front of him and his head feeling as though it was going to topple from his shoulders at any moment, Starsky encountered that feeling of fear that he'd never had before. Always before, in tight situations, it had been his anger that had fuelled him through. He'd garnered it to him and used it as a shield. Now that shield had failed him and pure, raw fear trickled icily through his veins.

Did it make him a coward? No, it made him a survivor who didn't want to have to go through the whole healing process one more time. The doctors had told him he'd been incredibly lucky to make it back to work after Gunther's goons had had their way with him. He'd agreed with them. Why the fuck was he putting himself into harms way once again?

It was the job. The answer floated to him on the breeze between him and Kim. It was always the job and deeper down than the fear a small voice told Starsky that however he felt…however scared….the job would always come first. Starsky steeled himself for the pain he knew would surely come and swallowed the fear down. Maybe playing along with Kim may save him some extra wounds. He'd never tried that approach before, but there was a first time for everything.

'I didn't. We talked, we kissed, but I never fucked her' the brunet said quietly. Another blow landed across the other side of his face and Starsky saw stars. Something had happened inside his mouth and his tongue explored the bloody cavity where one of his back teeth had been knocked out. He spat the molar along with bloody saliva onto the floor and tried to breathe past the fear.

'We can talk. You don't need to do this' he started.

Kim stood watching. 'The time for talk passed when you took my sister back to your bed.'

'I'm telling the truth. I didn't fuck her. I wanted to, but….' This time the blow was so severe that the chair Starsky was tied to overbalanced and fell sideways, taking the cop with it. His head struck the floor and sparkles of new pain danced behind his eyes like fireworks. Starsky let out a groan, or he thought he did, but the whistling in his left ear had gone…..and so had the rest of his hearing. He knew people were saying things and he knew people were around him but something had happened to him and he seemed to be watching the world from a grandstand some way off. He saw what was happening to him as though it was happening to someone else and he flinched as strong hands set the chair, and him with it, back onto its feet. Kim hovered in front of his field of vision and the young Chinese man's lips moved, but Starsky heard no sound other than a muffled hiss. The cop shook his head slowly from side to side but other than the increased feeling of wanting the throw up, nothing else happened. Finally Kim seemed to become tired of talking to Starsky and receiving no feedback. Fists and feet didn't seem to work, although a few more blows landed on Starsky's chest and arms, adding to his pains. Kim finally took hold of a fistful of Starsky's hair and pulled the brunet's head back so that they could see eye to eye. Starsky fought with consciousness and concentrated on Kim's lips. He managed to make out "You might wish I'd finished you off, but Boone seems to be such a fan of yours, I couldn't deny him his enjoyment. You'll never fuck my sister again. Maybe you won't fuck anyone again".

Kim walked out of the room without a backwards glance, leaving Boone and Starsky alone.

+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O

Hutch shook himself out of his shock and made a better sweep of Starsky's apartment. The furniture had been thrown around and overturned and it was obvious there had been a scuffle of some sort, but there was no blood. Whoever had taken Starsky had tried to overpower him and had succeeded without having to resort to too much violence. Hutch swallowed hard. That could only mean drugs and the blond man's hand went to the crease of his left elbow, feeling for the needle tracks that had healed so long ago. Dammit Starsk.

Jade stared open mouthed at the mayhem in the room, her hand up to her mouth in shock. 'Dave' she whispered again.

'Your brother. Where would he have taken Starsky?' Hutch asked.

Jade turned to him. 'I know my brother has connections, but he wouldn't do this' she said, although her voice did not hold much conviction.

Hutch snorted. 'You stand there with that pretty face all bruised and bloody and tell me that Kim would beat his own sister, but he wouldn't harm my partner? C'mon lady! Where? Where would he take Starsky?'

Jade's hand wandered over the bruise on her own face. It was true. Deep down she knew her brother had killed, but as a good Chinese girl it was never her position to challenge the males in her house. Tradition dictated that the women were seen, but never heard.

Up until now.

Jade cringed as she thought about the times she'd remained silent, even though she knew Kim was a criminal who may have murdered and the woman realised that the time for secrets had long since past. She had given her brother a pretty speech about how America was so different from the old country and yet she had kept quiet and done nothing when Kim had been running the Dragons. Enough!

'I don't know' she replied.

Hutch grabbed her shoulders and turned her gently. He took one of the photographs of Starsky and him from the floor, the glass cracked in the frame, and held it up to her. 'This is the guy you were with hours ago. Take a good look. If you truly have feelings for him, if you even just like him, you'll think and think hard. There must be somewhere that Kim goes? Some place he and the gang hang out?'

Jade looked at the photograph. Starsky looked happy, carefree and he had his arm around Hutch's shoulders. He was full of life and to think that he may now be at Kim's mercy made the woman's heart stop for a second. She licked dry lips.

'He doesn't tell me much. It's not my place to know, but….. I don't know. I can't think.'

'There must be somewhere' Hutch coaxed. 'A private room? Another building? It would have to be away from the restaurant I think. Somewhere you or your Mom and Dad wouldn't necessarily go.'

'There is a warehouse' Jade said thoughtfully. 'It's not far from the restaurant I don't think, but it's where Kim says he keeps all the provisions for the kitchens. Kim does the ordering and runs it. I've never been there. We seem to have everything we need at the Royal Phoenix.'

'Where? Where is it?' Hutch asked.

Jade looked at him, wide eyed. 'I don't know. Truly I don't. I'm sorry…..oh God! Kim will kill Dave and it's my fault. I should never have gone out with him.'

Hutch snorted. 'Don't blame yourself. I've never known a girl who could resist Starsky's charms. Ok, so we don't know where this warehouse is. Do we know where Kim is?'

Jade shook her head. 'At home? I don't know. After we fought I walked out and phoned first Dave and then you.'

'Fine. If the only one who knows where my partner is is your brother, then we find Kim.'

'He won't tell you.' Jade whispered.

Hutch whirled and stared at her. 'Then he doesn't understand what me and Starsk are all about. One way or the other he's gonna tell me where my partner is. Or one of us will die in the process.'


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Boone followed Kim out of the room like a puppy dog follows the man with the steak, leaving Starsky alone. Once the door was closed, Kim leaned confidently against the wall, almost bored.

'Well?' Boone asked.

'Well what?'

'I did what you asked. I brought him to you. What're ya gonna do now?'

Kim smiled. 'Nothing.'

'He's been with Jade. You promised her to me. You told me she was mine.'

'Uh huh. When you'd earned her.'

Boone pushed himself away from the wall, anger colouring his face. 'Fuck it! I've put my career on the line for you. I kidnapped a cop. That's a federal offence. I could get 15 to 20 for that alone. I think I deserve….'

Kim moved lightening fast, His actions were almost a blur of speed as he whirled and grabbed Boone by his collar, virtually swinging the man of his feet. With Boone dangling in mid air by his neck, Kim stared calmly and coldly into the man's eyes. 'You deserve nothing. You're a coward and a piece of shit. You have no honour. You let your partner be captured and killed and you did nothing. Why should I reward that?'

For a second Boone looked confused. 'But you told me…. You said you wanted….' A smile spread over Boone's face. 'Oh I get it. This was a test. Let's see how the rookie handles this one, huh? How did I do? Did I pass?'

The Chinese man let go of Boone with a shake of his head and wiped his hands down the sides of his pants as though trying to rid himself of some dirt. He sneered at the cop. 'You have no honour. But at least you follow orders.'

'So? Do I get Jade?'

'Sadly no. Jade has dishonoured me. She is no longer a part of the family.'

Boone's face turned ugly. 'You promised me I could have her.'

'If you can find her, you still can. She means nothing to me any more.'

'Fine' Boone snapped. 'I've done all this for nothing. Just fuckin' peachy.'

'I didn't say I wouldn't reward you' Kim said, heading for the door.

Boone's face brightened. He'd always been a looser. His looks were plain and homely and he'd been a dork at college. He was the guy the girls turned to as a last resort when all the best ones were taken. He was the one who was always left last in line when the Captains picked their teams and he was the one who had to resort to violence to get the class dweeb to do his homework assignments for him. Boone was a born looser until he'd hooked up with the Red Dragons and had found a new master to run with. He licked his lips in anticipation. Later he would go out and find Jade – his real prize. In the mean time…. 'Reward? How?'

Kim's hand was on the door handle. 'I have business to attend to. Meanwhile I have a cop in there who needs to disappear. What you do to him first is up to you. Enjoy.'

Boone nodded briefly. Starsky was the epitome of everything he'd come to hate. The curly haired cop was handsome, muscular, athletic and had some peculiar type of charm that left the female of the species limp and drooling in his wake. But this time, Boone's worm had turned and with Starsky tied and helpless, maybe he could finally demolish his demons and start afresh.

As the young cop walked back into the room, he took a moment to look at his victim. Starsky sat in the chair, his head hanging down until his chin touched his chest. Bruises showed on the older man's face and blood dripped from the gash on Starsky's forehead where his head had hit the floor when the chair had overturned. At the movement of the door opening, the brunet forced his head up and screwed his eyes up as he tried to focus on Boone. The whole left side of Starsky's face was swollen and distorted and the eyes that had looked at Boone so fiercely only half an hour ago now seemed blurred and out of focus.

And Boone felt no pity. Instead, all the young cop saw was a punch bag ready for sport. Starsky had had Jade. Starsky had taken what Boone knew was rightfully his. He imagined the beautiful woman writhing in ecstasy beneath Starsky's body and Boones fists balled in indignation. Starsky had all but ignored him at the Metro. He'd never treated Boone as an equal but more like some young rookie who needed to be patted and encouraged to do his job and the more Boone thought about it, the more outraged he became. He walked slowly over to the chair and stood in front of Starsky.

The wounded cop lifted his head. 'Let me go' Starsky managed to force out through his damaged jaw.

'Why? So that you can go back to that blond haired wimp you call a partner and report me to Dobey?'

Starsky ignored the comment. Thinking was difficult. Hell, even breathing was difficult but the brunet's pain had won out over his fear and now all he could do was to try to reason with Boone. He tried again. 'We can talk.'

Boone hunkered down so that he was at eye level with Starsky. 'I don't wanna talk. We had time to talk before, when you used to ignore me in the squad room. What did you think of me then huh? Oh he's just a rookie. Poor Patterdale, having to deal with the rookie all day?'

'You got it wrong. I….'

Boone stood and swung his fist at Starsky so that his knuckles connected with the brunet's already bruised and torn face. Starsky's head rolled with the punch and a soft groan escaped him as he tried to process the new pain. How much more could he take?

How much more did he want to take?

God he was so fed up with hurting. Wouldn't it just be easier to let the pain consume him, so that he could sink down into the darkness and stop fighting? Something in that thought seemed so seductive that for a moment Starsky actually contemplated allowing Boone to kill him. He'd fought every single day for the past eleven months. Each day had been a battle of his body versus his will and every day he'd won a little more ground. But it took so much out of the brunet, so much willpower and energy just to keep his heart beating and his lungs working and Starsky was bone tired. Wouldn't it just be easier to surrender to it all?

For a second he imagined what that would be like and then it hit him. Hutch would find him eventually and if the blond man was too late to save him, Hutch would never live with himself. In his mind Starsky played over the scene. Hutch rushing into the room to see Starsky's dead body in the chair. The blond crumpling to his knees in front of the body and holding Starsky's head in his hands. In his imagination Starsky saw a single tear in Hutch's eye and in that moment he knew he couldn't give up…..not for himself, but for his partner – the man who'd stood by him through thick and thin. He would survive, if only for Hutch.

Boone watched the bound cop's head fall forwards and realised that this was not as much fun as he'd anticipated. Starsky couldn't fight back and somehow that seemed wrong. Boone wanted to feel as though he'd won and he couldn't do that if he was fighting a restrained man. It didn't matter to the younger cop that Starsky, even untied, would be in no state to fight back. To Boone just having Starsky freed made it a fair fight – and one he was sure to win. To Starsky's surprise, Boone leaned down, took a flick knife with a three inch blade and sliced through the bonds around his wrists and ankles.

Starsky's arms fell forwards, the tingling in his hands turning to burning as the circulation returned. Automatically he massaged his wrists slowly as he dealt with the pains in his side from his damaged rib.

'Get up' Boone said as he stood back.

'Huh?' Starsky's hearing was almost non-existent.

Boone lunged forwards and grabbed Starsky by the arm, hauling him to his feet. 'I said get up.'

The brunet staggered and sank to his knees as nausea and dizziness threatened to consume him and once again Boone was at his back, this time kicking out at Starsky's back.

'Get up, you faggot. I know all about you.' Boone's voice was raised now so that the younger man was almost shouting and Starsky could make out the words. Slowly Starsky got to his hands and knees, shaking his head from side to side and Boone grabbed him and stood him upright.

'The great and mighty Starsky and fuckin' Hutch huh? So bloody good, you're like saints. Well I don't see anything too great about ya now. Or is it that you're only good when you and that blond bimbo are together. I've heard the rumours and I know they're true. You aren't just cop partners are ya?'

Starsky swayed and leaned against the wall for support, his shoulder mashed into the hard plaster to keep him upright. 'Don't do this' he started to say.

'Look at ya' Boone cut him off. 'All these freakin' months I've heard nothing but Starsky, Starsky, Starsky. Starsky the miracle cop, like getting yourself shot has made you into a saint or something. Wanna know the truth buddy boy? They only let you back coz it would have looked bad to the powers that be if they didn't re-employ a gimp. You're fucked. You're a wreck. Disabled….unfit….whatever you want to call it, you aint fit to do your job and they brought you back because they're too fuckin' soft hearted to tell you that you're a has been.'

The words lanced to the very core of Starsky's body and hurt him more than blows could ever do. 'Shuddup' he mumbled. 'Just….'

Another blow knocked him to the ground.

+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+

Hutch's car screeched to a halt outside the Royal Phoenix. The building was in darkness still and for once thee were no doormen prowling the pavement outside th front door, but as the last notes from the engine died away, a face appeared at the glass door.

'It's my brother' Jade said.

'You wanna wait in the car?' Hutch asked as he started to get out.

The woman straightened. 'No! I'm not scared of him.'

Hutch grinned. He admired the pluck of the young woman. Beaten, bruised and sore as she was, nothing would stop her from helping to find Starsk. And any friend of Starsky's…..

The duo got out of the car together and as they walked to the door, Kim opened it, undisguised loathing on his face.

'So you've come crawling back and you've brought the cops. Thank you so much little sister' he said with sarcasm dripping from every word.

Jade stood her ground. 'I came to find Dave.'

'Dave who?'

The woman drew up her tiny frame and glared at her brother. 'You know who I mean. Dave Starsky, the cop you hated me seeing so much. Where is he?'

Kim plastered an innocent look on his face. 'Why should I know where he is?'

Hutch had so far stood back from the siblings in the hope that Jade would be able to get the answers he needed, but time was running short and his patience was running thin. He stepped in and put himself between Jade and Kim looking down at the Chinese man.

'What have you done with my partner? We saw his place. We saw the mess and we know it was you that took him. I'm gonna say it plain and simple. Where. Is. He?'

Kim turned away. 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Hutch launched himself at the younger man at the same time as Kim whirled around. With his martial arts training Kim was a supremely confident fighter but he'd not taken into account that Hutch too had trained to fight – in the wrestling ring. Now Kung Fu met a light heavyweight in mid air and both men's bodies crashed into each other. Kim and Hutch fell to the ground, clinched together as close as lovers and whilst Kim tried to wriggle free, Hutch employed all his strength to straddle the smaller man and hold him pinned to the ground. Kim fought like a tiger, expending his energy on shaking Hutch off of him but Hutch merely hung on until Kim's struggles started to fade. He stared down into Kim's face.

'I asked nicely. Where's Starsky?'

'What's in it for me? By the time you get to him it'll be too late anyway.'

'You'd better hope not.' Hutch ground out.

Kim smiled wolfishly. 'How much more punishment do you think he can take? His scars are pretty impressive.'

The revelation stunned Hutch and for a moment his concentration faltered. It was the second of indecision that Kim was looking for and with lightening reflexes he shot out from beneath Hutch's body and got to his feet, aiming for the door.

The sound of the Colt cocking echoed around the room and brought Kim to a standstill. Very slowly the younger man turned and stared down the barrel of the Magnum. Hutch was on his feet, the muzzle of the gun centred on Kim's chest.

'Where's my partner? You got five seconds punk. You can count 'em if you like.'

Kim's face cracked into a grin as he raised his hands into the air. 'Shoot me and you're fucked man. Without me, you have no idea where your partner is.'

'Tell me.'

'I have nothing to lose, you have that poodle of a partner. Seems like I hold the winning hand.'

Hutch thought for a moment and realised bitterly that Kim was right. His anger fuelled his thought processes. Kim had Starsky, that was now a given. Another given was that Kim wasn't going to tell Hutch squat unless Hutch had a trading card in his hand. And the only one that Hutch could think of left sour taste in the blond man's throat. Having seen Starsky suffering all those months had made something snal inside Hutch. There were times, especially in the psychiatrists office when he'd laid all the blame for Starsky's shooting firmly on his own shoulders and whatever anyone told him about how he couldn't have stopped Gunther's goons, Hutch still held the conviction that somehow he could have stopped those five bullets. Logically he knew that was hogwash and yet his closeness to Starsky, his affinity with the brunet told him that he should be superman. He should be able to take away all Starsky's hurts.

Those feelings kicked in again now, with a vengeance and before he'd thought it through, Hutch heard himself saying 'I can give you freedom. I'll give you 12 hours to get you and your family out of my town. Where you go is your concern, but I want my partner back.'

Kim looked taken aback. This was the one thing he hadn't bargained on and the offer was too seductive to pass up on. 'How can I trust you?'

Hutch flicked the huge gun in his hand. 'It's either take up the offer, or argue with Mr Colt. The choice is yours, but know this. If I find a corpse instead of my partner, I will hunt you down for the rest of your natural. You won't be able to breathe, sneeze, cough or blink without me knowin'. I'll be right behind you every step of your life and you won't be able to rest for wondering of the next loud noise is a bullet with your name on it. Do I make myself clear?'

The look in those icy blue eyes said it all and for one moment Kim hoped that Boone was going to take his time with Starsky and enjoy himself….at least until Hutch got there. 'Warehouse. It's a small place on West Bankside. But you'd better be quick.'

Hutch was already heading for the door. '12 hours and counting' he threw over his shoulder as he ran for the car.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Joe Boone stood back, looking at his victim with a bored eye. God how he hated Starsky! The curly haired cop was everything he'd come to loathe about his life and now he wanted to savour every moment he had with the wounded man. There was no compassion in his eyes and there was no softness to his voice as he continued his tirade against the world in general and Starsky in particular. His lifetime of being told he wasn't good enough, or he wasn't handsome enough or he just plain wasn't enough was condensed into this hour, this minute, this second and Boone wanted to enjoy every moment of what time he had. He wanted to vent his spleen against the injured man in the certain hope that at the end of it, when Starsky was dead, somehow he, Boone would be transformed into a new man, more handsome, smarter and the Metro's first Cop of the Year.

Starsky leaned heavily against the wall, his shoulder supporting him as his legs threatened to buckle under his weight. His eyes were closed as he concentrated on taking one deep breath after the other. Nothing else mattered at that moment other than living through the next minute or so. He opened his eyes a crack as Boone continued his soliloquy.

'Where's the great Dave Starsky now huh? See? I was right. They should never have had you back at work. You're a has-been. You aint fit enough any more old man. They took you back out of pity.'

The words continued to pierce Starsky's confidence. Was that right? Was there some truth in Boone's cruel words? He'd fought so long and hard to get back to physical and mental fitness and yet here he was, injured and in pain again, and this time, his body was rebelling. His target had always been to get back onto the streets with Hutch. That was his driver; his goal for the past eleven months but he'd never once seriously thought of the consequences – the fact that his job was dangerous and fraught with difficulty. What if they had taken him back out of some misguided sympathy? It was bad enough to be hurt once more, but what if he'd put Hutch's life in danger too?

Starsky licked his lips. 'You don't know what you're talkin' about' he mumbled, more for his own piece of mind than to rebuke Boone.

Boone grinned. 'Don't I? If you're so fuckin' good, c'mon, prove it. Take a swing at me. I'll even make it easy for ya and not move. C'mon, give it your best shot, old timer.'

Starsky looked up at the younger man and tried to straighten but something had happened to his damaged rib and as he moved a pain lanced through his side so severe that it dropped the cop to his knees with a groan. Immediately Boone was upon him, pulling Starsky's arms away from his body. The younger man looked down into the pain glazed eyes.

'Don't you pass out on me now. Don't you dare pass out on me. We have so much more to talk about, seeing as you're so chicken livered that you won't fight back.'

Starsky squinted up at Boone through a red haze of pain. He could only make out certain words above the fuzzy deafness in his left ear but he knew that Boone wasn't exactly soothing him. The time for keeping quiet had passed and Starsky had tried the calm approach to no avail. Now his temper surfaced and he struggled against the body that was straddling him and pinning him to the ground.

Boone grinned. 'That's better. I knew you'd fight back sooner or later. Shame you're so crap at it. And don't give me that "oh it hurts" routine. C'mon Starsky. Gimme something to work with here. Fight me back huh?'

Starsky's left knee rose, knocking Boone forwards unexpectedly. With only one weapon left at his disposal, Starsky did the only thing he could think of and as Boone was knocked forwards, he used the last of his energy to double himself up and nut his opponent cleanly between the eyes.

Boone sprang back, his hands flying to his head just as Starsky sagged back, the last of his reserves of energy spent. He had the satisfaction of seeing Boone wipe the tears from his eyes before the younger man was back on him. This time Boone's eyes were full of anger and Starsky concentrated on the cut and the blossoming bruise in the centre of Boone's forehead.

Boone cuffed Starsky across the side of his face, relaxing marginally as the brunet let out a low moan.

'You fight like a girl, but then again I always wondered which of you took the lead when you were in bed together. Was it Blondie? Was he the one who had ya moaning like a whore? I know the rumours weren't really rumours. Starsky and Hutch are so close…..course you are. You're fuckin' faggots, the both of you. Did you go down on him? Did ya? Wanna taste of a real man?' Boone lost himself in his blinding anger. He'd asked Starsky to fight back, but he'd never expected that someone so badly injured would do that. He'd heard all about Starsky at the Metro. In fact he'd heard so much about the partnership of Starsky and Hutch that he knew they couldn't really be as legendary as the other detectives made out. When he'd become a detective himself, Boone had imagined that he too would be partnered with some dynamic guy (or better still woman) and together they would topple Starsky and Hutch from their pedestal. To be partnered with an old timer like Clay Patterdale had been just his luck and over the ensuing months, Boone made himself believe that far from being legends, Hutch and his partner were two "has beens" who lived on their reputation. No-one could be that good, right? Everyone hated Boone, but he'd show them how good he was by exposing Starsky and Hutch for the frauds he knew they were. They were freakin' gays and no-one seemed ready to admit it. He'd show them all. Boone would prove it once and for all and as though to reinforce the point, the younger man kneeled up so that he could unzip his pants. He fumbled himself out of his clothing and was about to reach for Starsky's head. The brunet closed his eyes, his fight long since gone.

'Starsky?'

A familiar voice sounded outside the small room and immediately Boone stuffed himself away with a curse. Hutch launched himself into the room, rolling on his shoulder and coming to a crouch with his gun pointing firmly at the two men. For a second there was silence in the room.

'Hutch. Thank god you're here' Boone said quickly. 'I just found him. Oh God he's so badly hurt!'

Hutch ignored Boone and after one brief check to make sure the room was otherwise empty, he crawled forwards so that he could see his partner. Starsky's eyes were closed and Hutch knelt by the wounded man's side making a visual check.

'Starsk?' he said gently. 'Starsk. C'mon buddy, open your eyes.' Hutch placed a hand on Starsky's chest feeling the staccato beat of the heart within. The brunet's breath was shallow and ragged but at the touch, Hutch was rewarded by a glimmer of indigo beneath half open eyelids. He smiled reassuringly. 'Hey, there you are. You're gonna be ok buddy. I got ya.' But Hutch's words belied the fact that the blond wasn't so sure. A cold hand had gripped his chest and for a moment he was transported back to a bright spring day, a red and white car and the echo of machine gun fire. This couldn't be happening, not again. It was a dream or a damned nightmare.

Starsky's eyes were glazed and unfocussed. His face was a bloody mess of cuts and bruises with the whole of the left side swollen and hot to the touch. The left eye refused to open, but the right blinked and then settled on the blond.

'Utchsssssh……Boooo.' With his dislocated jaw it was incredibly tough for Starsky to make words form but he knew he needed to warn his partner about the younger cop. Hutch didn't seem to understand, however and was busy checking the injured body. Starsky struggled to raise his arm to grab a hold of Hutch's hand, desperate to make him understand.

Behind the two men, Boone peered down over Hutch's shoulder and slowly he grinned and drew his forefinger over his throat. Starsky watched the universal sign - It's all over. You're dead.

'Boooooone' Starsky forced out.

'I know, he's here. Stay with me buddy. Stay with me huh? I'm gonna get you out of here' Hutch muttered as his hands checked out Starsky's injuries. When his fingers brushed Starsky's left side, over his damaged rib, the brunet convulsed on the floor and Hutch withdrew his hands, suddenly unsure of himself.

'Go and get an ambulance Hutch. I'll stay with him' Boone said quietly. 'It was Patterdale. When I got here, he had Starsky tied to a chair and he was beating the crap out of him. I fought Patterdale off but…..oh God, I was too late to save Starsky. I'm sorry Hutch, truly I am, but the least I can do is stay with him whilst you radio for a meat wagon.'

Hutch looked up into the earnest young face and smiled. 'Thanks Boone. You probably saved his life. I can't believe Clay…..after all these years…..Jesus…. I ca…can't believe…..'

Boone took Hutch's shoulder kindly. 'Go get the medics huh? I'll stay with him.'

Hutch turned back to Starsky. He leaned close to Starsky's face. 'Buddy, I'm goin' for the ambulance. I'll be right back, ok? Boone is gonna stay here with ya.'

Starsky's eye fluttered open again. 'Noooo……sssssstay…….you.'

'I need to get help buddy. I'll be right back. I'm goin' now.' Hutch got up and took Boone by the shoulder. 'Stay with him, keep him awake huh? But keep him quiet. Be right back.'

Boone smiled. 'Sure thing Hutch. Anything I can do.' The younger cop lowered his voice. 'Do you think he's gonna make it?'

A shudder ran down Hutch's spine. 'Well the longer we talk, the harder he has to fight. I'll be right back.' The blond man ran for the door leaving Boone alone once more with his victim. Quickly Boone knelt by Starsky's body and was disconcerted to see anger and some defiance shining out of that one eye. Starsky didn't seem afraid of him any more. Why? The curly haired man should have been trying to crawl away. Boone was his death sentence, right? And yet here he was, almost unconscious but with that steely look in his eye. Boone was both angry and a little afraid in that moment. Afraid that Starsky might buck the odds and live and tell Hutch who had really beaten him –Starsky- to death. Despite everything and out of desperation, Boone took his flick knife and opened the blade, allowing Starsky to see the wicked three inch steel.

'Don't worry Starsky, I'll make it quick. The blade's sharp and it'll slip right in. Some say you don't even feel it. It was fun for a while, but now we have to say goodbye.'

'Fffffuck…..youuuuu' Starsky breathed as Boone leaned over him and sank the blade into his damaged left side.

Boone was right. There wasn't too much pain. Instead it seemed as though his side had just got warmer, as though he were sunbathing on a sunny day and the sunshine was hitting him along his ribs. There was a sense of inevitability now and Starsky came to realise that nothing else really mattered. He'd done his best and sadly his best wasn't good enough, but you win some and lose some. The brunet felt warm, although his hands and feet were growing numb and his vision in his one good eye was starting to speckle at the edges. He wished Hutch was back, so that he could be with the blond man at the end and a rush of sadness filled him, knowing how much Hutch would grieve at his death. He wanted a final chance to tell Hutch that it was fine, and it wasn't his fault and suddenly he was aware of movement near him again and he forced his eye open.

'Are ya still with me Starsk?' Hutch asked.

'Cold.'

'I know buddy. Lying on the floor does that to ya. Let me….' Hutch put his arm around Starsky's body and his fingers brushed something hard. He peered over and saw the hilt of the knife sticking out obscenely from between Starsky's ribs, a growing pool of blood forming on the ground beneath the injured body.

'Oh God, Starsk. I di..didn't see it. I saw…I mean I didn't….. Boone gimme your shirt, quick.' Hutch was already stripping off his own jacket and over shirt and balling them so that he could push them around the knife wound to try to stem the blood flow. Reluctantly Boone too stripped off his overshirt and handed it to the blond. Hutch hardly seemed to notice as he continued talking to Starsky, low, insistent and gentle.

'C'mon ya big lug. Open your eyes. Open your eyes Starsk…..I need to …..to see….I need to see those baby blues. I nee….need to see your eyes Starsky. STARSKY!'

The sound of Hutch's voice was already muffled but it seemed to be coming from a long way away and it was so much effort to open his eye, but whatever Hutch wanted he usually got and so Starsky duly obliged.

'Stay with me Starsk. Look at m..m..me. Focus on me b..b..babe, the ambulance is coming. Hold on huh?

It took a moment for Starsky to realise that Hutch's stammer was back. That was never a good sign and he made every effort to look up into Hutch's eyes, wanting the taller man to be comforted.

'S'cold…..ffffeel cold……'urts……ssssside.' Starsky moved his hand towards the knife in his side and gently Hutch blocked it's path.

'Leave it Starsk. I know it hurts, but you gotta leave it huh?' Hutch looked up at Boone. 'Help me hold his arms down huh?'

'Shouldn't we take it out? It's hurting him' Boone said.

'No, we leave it in otherwise he could bleed to death.'

'He looks like he's dying anyhow' the younger man almost whispered.

Hutch reached for Boone and took a hold of his tee shirt, drawing the younger cop close. 'Don't say that. Don't ever say that punk. He lives, ok? Starsky is gonna live goddamit or I'll want to know the reason why.'


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Boone looked down as Hutch continued to hold his partner, talking low and gentle into Starsky's ear. He'd never seen such love and devotion between two men and it at once confirmed what he thought he knew –that they were lovers, and at the same time pulled at something deep in his chest. For one agonising moment, Boone wished that he could have someone there who loved him as much as Hutch obviously loved the brunet. The feeling shocked the younger cop and he shook himself, berating himself for feeling warm and fuzzy…..and like a voyeur looking down at the two detectives. Starsky's eyes were closed and his face was pale, his lips tinged with blue and yet he was listening intently to his partner's voice. And Boone willed the curly haired cop to die.

Alive, Starsky could identify exactly who the police mole was. Alive he would exonerate Patterdale and place all the blame securely on Boone's shoulders. The brunet would awake and point the finger of accusation at Boone. He would identify the young cop as his attacker and Boone would be finished. Not even Kim's best lawyers would be able to get him off the attempted murder rap and Boone doubted that he would ever survive in prison. He was the sort of guy who would be everyone's little puppy and his butt clenched as he realised that half the men in Bay City jail had been put there by his department. He looked back down at the dying man.

_Die, damn you. Die and I can get on with my life._

Out loud, Boone said 'Is there anything I can do?'

Hutch didn't look around. He had his gaze fixed on Starsky as though he were willing the smaller man to breathe. 'Go and meet the medics huh?'

'But I….'

'Just go!' Hutch yelled harshly.

Boone almost staggered back with the force of the words. 'Yeah, sure thing Hutch. I just….'

'Sorry kid. I d didn't mean….just g go and g get the medics huh? You did good today.'

Boone hunched his shoulders and walked out of the room, passed the body of Clay Patterdale that had remained ignored on the ground. He walked out of the warehouse and stood at the door as he took out a cigarette and lit it, drawing the calming smoke deep into his lungs. Slowly he let the acrid blue vapours trickle out of his nose as he heard the sirens in the distance. And still he muttered the mantra that was keeping him going.

_Die Starsky. Die damn you, die._

Inside the building, Starsky was semi-conscious. With the pains in his body to deal with, he had no energy left to open his eyes and focus on Hutch and yet he took great comfort from the blond man's presence. He was cold, and getting colder by the moment, but what was worse was that he knew what that chill meant. He'd experienced it before, almost a year ago, on the ground in another place. The cold then had crept up on him as he lay huddled against the wheel of his beloved Torino. It had started at his feet and by the time the medics had got to him, it was climbing up through his guts and into his chest. Then they had talked of bleeding out and he'd felt pressure on his chest and back as they'd used everything in their arsenal to keep his life blood inside his body.

It was the same now. The cold was clutching at his guts, creeping slowly up his body so that he felt afloat, somewhere above the ground. It was a peaceful feeling and despite the cold, Starsky felt comfortable in a strange sort of way and he listened to Hutch's words with a weird detachment.

'We're gonna make it buddy. I can hear the sirens. We'll get ya to the hospital and you can have all the pretty nurses you need. Remember Olivia, the one with the assets? She'll be there. And Maureen. She had the hots for ya buddy, I know she did. You just have to hang on Starsk, are ya listening? Huh? Are ya? Hang on for me, or if not for me, hang on so that you can tell Dobey what a punk Clay Patterdale turned out to be huh?'

Patterdale! Starsky had almost forgotten about the old timer and now, with the medics coming for him once more, it seemed important that Hutch should know that they had both wrongly accused Patterdale. The injured cop forced open his eye.

'Not Pat…. Boooone.'

'I know, I know. Boone saved your life. I know.'

Starsky rolled his head, determined to try to make Hutch understand. 'Pat…..dead. He…. Kim killed.'

'Yeah, probably because he realised just what a useless piece of shit he was' Hutch said. 'It's fine Starsk. It's ok, I'll tell Dobey. Just rest huh? They're here now.' Hutch shuffled away from his friend's body as the medics rushed into the room and started to work around Starsky calmly and clinically. He was in the way, Hutch knew, and Starsky had lost consciousness. Stiffly the flaxen haired cop got to his feet and stood back, giving the professionals some room.

Besides him, Boone asked 'Will he make it?'

'He has to. He has to live. I can't see him any other way in my head. If I did, I'd go to pieces and that way I'd never hunt Kim down and make sure he pays.'

Boone looked down at the medics as they continued to work on the injured cop. They already had one line in place and were hanging another bag as one of the other team members was examining the knife wound in Starsky's side. Boone walked over to them. 'Is he gonna be ok?' he asked.

The medic looked up. 'He's lost a fair bit of blood and by the looks of it he's been badly beaten, maybe with a weapon of some sort.'

'Just a fist' Boone said proudly before he caught himself. 'I guess' he added quickly. 'I um…..well I didn't see any weapons when I came in.'

'Well whatever happened. We need to get him over to Memorial fast. Are you two guys going to follow on in your car?'

'I'm not leaving him' Hutch said firmly. 'I'll c come back for….back for the c car.'

'I can drive it' Boone offered. 'You go and be with Starsky and I'll see you at the hospital huh?'

Hutch looked at Boone almost as though he'd seen the younger man for the first time. 'Thanks Joe. I….I just need to be with him. The other guys will be here for the b body. Can you wait?'

Boone nodded. 'Sure thing. I know you need to be together. Go be with your lov….partner.' The "damn you" hung on the air although Hutch didn't seem to notice and was already walking by the side of the gurney out of the door. Boone let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and plunged his hands into his trouser pockets. What now? What did he do now? Did he run back to Kim and trust the boss to protect him? The thought crossed Boone's mind fleetingly. A new life in a new place….. the thought scared the crap out of the young cop. All he'd ever known was in California. The furthest he'd been in his entire life had been Sacramento and even then he was glad to get back to Bay City. Although Boone romantically thought of himself as a Livingstone type, exploring the world, deep down his insecurities kept him home, in his comfort zone, where he could be king of an exceedingly small castle.

So where did that leave him? The young man thought hard. His only remaining option –and the one he liked the most- was to have Starsky die, take the credit for trying to save him, and live a long and illustrious life as the Metro's new hero. He could imagine it –the award ceremony with the Chief of Police pinning the medal onto his chest; standing at Starsky's graveside comforting Hutch; maybe riding out with the blond man. Did Boone and Hutch sound right, or should it be Hutch and Boone? The young cop shook himself out of his imaginings. One thing had to happen first. Starsky needed to croak and by the looks of things, he wasn't too far away from doing just that. Yet the brunet had bucked the odds before. Not many men had survived five bullets and lived to tell the tail, let alone fought back to their job. Starsky was not one to be underestimated, which meant that Boone needed to be close, so that he could grab any opportunity that came along.

One way or the other, David Starsky would not live to see another sunrise.

The coroner's wagon came a few minutes after the ambulance had left. It was accompanied by Knight and Knigge, two detectives from the Metro. Boone played hero to the hilt and enjoyed the adoration he felt he saw in the two older men's eyes. He laid on thick the injury to his nose and head and didn't mention that it was Starsky himself who'd inflicted it. By the time Boone was ready to leave, he'd pumped himself up so much that even he believed that he'd fought off Clay Patterdale single handedly and had lived to tell the tale. He bade Knight and his partner a final farewell, got into Hutch's old car and drove to the hospital glowing with admiration for himself. His plan was working. He would finish Starsky off when the opportunity arose, drive around the city to find Jade and become another picture in the Metro's hall of fame. In sheer delight, he slammed the mars light onto the roof of the car, pressed the pedal to the metal and ran every red light between the warehouse and Memorial hospital leaving chaos in his wake.

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Hutch sat outside the ER on one of those hard plastic chairs that he'd come to loathe over the years. He sat forwards with his head in his hands, his fingers woven through his tousled flaxen bangs as he waited for news. The blond man would have much rather been in the ER with his partner. On some of the other occasions when Starsky had been hurt, he'd managed to coerce his way in there, although once inside he could do no more than stand helplessly by and watch. This time, however, the doctors had told him firmly but kindly that he should wait outside, and for the first time ever Hutch obeyed without argument. He was exhausted and there was no fight in him any more. Hutch had vowed he'd never go near another hospital if he could help it. The long months of watching Starsky's recovery had taken it out of him almost as much as the brunet. Hutch still awoke shaking from nightmares where Dobey's voice told him "You'd better get over here". On those occasions Hutch relived the scenario over and again in his head – staring in through the glass window at Starsky's body on the bed, his spine bowing each time the electric current was zapped through his body. Hutch felt the shocks as though they were happening to him and he still remembered that sickening feeling of "this can't be happening" and the cold grip of inevitability that took his heart and squeezed it. Now he admitted to himself that he didn't want to be in that ER any more. He didn't want to see the needles and scalpels and medical paraphernalia. He wanted his partner back, whole and healthy with his lop sided grin, stupid jokes and everything else that came with the man called Starsky. And above everything else Hutch wondered if they….he……could truly carry on as a cop. The worry for his partner was too great, the constant surreptitious glances to make sure Starsky wasn't overdoing things, the responsibility of making sure the brunet took his meds, or did his physio, or ate properly. It was too much and this last six weeks of being back out on the streets had been so bitter sweet that Hutch felt as exhausted as Starsky looked.

Maybe the time had come to hang up their holsters. Maybe they should leave Bay City to the younger cops like Boone. Maybe robbing banks in Bolivia seemed the sensible option. Anything so long as Starsky lived……anything at all.

The door to the ER opened just as Boone walked into the quiet waiting room and came to stand by Hutch's side. The blond cop got stiffly to his feet. Behind the flapping doors, the other doctors were still working with a quiet calm, but the doctor standing in front of the two cops had a serious look on his face.

'You're Detective Starsky's partner?' he asked.

'Yeah. Is he ok? Is he gonna make it?' Hutch answered with questions of his own.

The doctor took a hold of Hutch's shoulder and guided the flaxen haired cop to a chair.

'Son, we need to talk' he said quietly.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Boone's heart leapt at the doctor's words. Was this it? Were all his worries over? He plastered a concerned look on his face and came to stand by Hutch's side, the consummate "best friend" as the doctor continued to talk.

'He has moderate injuries. For most men, he would be in hospital for a few days and then discharged home. But Mr Starsky isn't most men. It's only been months since he was shot and almost killed. We told him then that he would have to be careful for the rest of his life. We explained to him months ago that he had been incredibly lucky and that he couldn't expect his body to keep healing the way it did when he was younger.'

'Cut to the chase Doc. Is he gonna make it?' Hutch interrupted. He'd heard the pretty speech before and God knows he knew what a battle Starsky had had to regain his fitness. But that was in the past and Hutch needed to know how his partner was faring right now. The sinking feeling in his stomach told him it couldn't be well.

'He's got some impressive injuries, but yes, with luck he should pull through, although it was touch and go in there for a while.'

'Can I see him?' Hutch asked.

'In a little while, yes. We'll be taking him to the OR soon to deal with his broken ribs along with other things. He also has a dislocated jaw, although that hasn't stopped him trying to ask for you every couple of minutes.'

Hutch smiled. That was the Starsky he knew. Even with severe injuries, no-one would keep Dave Starsky quiet for too long. 'I um….well….thanks Doc. I um…'

The doctor looked at the ashen face in front of him. He heard the slight stammer and tremble in Hutch's voice and saw again the shake in the big blond's hands. The man was obviously in shock and if Hutch wasn't careful, he too would be a candidate for one of Memorial's beds. 'Look, we still need to get him cleaned up some and we need to run another couple of units of blood through before he's ready for the OR. We had a bad RTA here only a while ago and slots with the surgeons are hard to come by. It's gonna be a while. Go and get a coffee and sit down. You look all in. One thing I don't need is another patient right now.'

Hutch looked past the doctor's shoulder at the door of the ER. He wanted more than anything to check on his partner even though logic told him that he could do nothing but get in the way even if he was right by Starsky's side. He shrugged. 'Tell him I'll be right back huh?'

Boone added his voice. 'He's right Hutch. You've had a bad time of it. Go and rest. I'll be right here. The minute he's ready to see you I'll come and find you, ok?'

The doctor nodded. 'Listen to your friend. It won't do Mr Starsky any good if you're falling to pieces, will it?'

The big cop nodded. 'Ok, ok. I'll go and grab a quick coffee and be right back. Thanks Joe.'

Boone nodded, smiling. 'No problem Hutch. I know how much he means to you.'

'No. I don't think you do, but thanks anyway.' Hutch turned and with one last look at the ER door he walked off to the public café that Memorial housed on the ground floor. God, he knew the place well enough that they should reserve him a table – best one in the house!

Back outside the ER, Joe Boone paced, his mind a maelstrom of thoughts. Paramount was that somehow Starsky must be unable to tell Hutch what had gone on. Boone was happy that he'd laid the blame firmly at Clay Patterdale's feet. It never occurred to him what a devastating effect the news of Clay's death would have on Elaine, his widow. He never for one moment gave a thought to how he had single handedly stained a good cop's character. To Boone, all that mattered was that he had bought himself a gold star in Kim's eyes and that money and a comfortable lifestyle was almost within his grasp. That, and a beautiful, obedient wife called Jade, when he eventually tracked her down.

The door to the OR swung open and inside Boone could see the table and its occupant surrounded by doctors and nurses. The medical team seemed to be coming to the end of their preliminary treatment and as he watched, the two main doctors snapped off their gloves, shucked off their greens and walked out of the room to start working on their next customer. Eventually, Starsky was left with only one nurse, who carefully took a final reading of his blood pressure and temperature and checked on the IV rates of the lines feeding into both the brunet's arms. Replacing the charts on the end of the gurney, she walked over to Boone and smiled reassuringly.

'You must be Mr Starsky's partner. The one he won't stop asking for. He's been through a lot and he still has to go up to the ER to have his ribs and his jaw fixed but I'm sure he'd welcome some company whilst he waits.'

Boone smiled at her. 'Thanks for all you've done for him. Yeah, my….partner….means so much to me. I'd be grateful if we could just have a few minutes together……privately, before he goes under the knife again.'

The nurse patted Boone reassuringly on the arm. 'Try not to be too alarmed. There are lines in his arms and he's on oxygen to help him breath. We have him hooked up to a monitor for his heart too, but its all standard. Nothing to worry too much about. I have to go and send his bloods off to the lab, so I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. Just don't tire him too much huh?'

The young cop nodded. 'I'll keep him so quiet, you wouldn't believe it' he said, smiling and headed into the room as the nurse took a silver dish full of vials of blood and left the two men alone. Boone walked over to the gurney and looked down at the injured cop. Starsky's eyes were closed and the oxygen mask covered most of his face, disguising the blue and black bruises. Nothing could disguise the swelling along Starsky's jaw line however, or the blackened, swollen mess over his left ribs. A tube stuck out of the cop's side, sutured in place and leading to a vacuum bottle containing blood stained fluid. Obviously the broken rib had punctured a lung.

At the movement next to him, Starsky forced his eyes open, expecting to see Hutch's concerned crustal blues looking down at him. He had so much to tell his partner and he couldn't rest until he had the fucking bastard Boone banged to rights. His eyes spread wide in horror as he saw deep brown eyes gazing at him instead of the baby blues he'd been expecting.

Boone grinned. 'Happy to see me Starsky?'

'Fuuuuuk yoooooo' the brunet whispered through his mashed jaw.

'Aww, is that any way to greet the man that Hutch thinks saved your life? You'll make me blush.' Boone took the oxygen mask away from Starsky's mouth and nose. 'We have some unfinished business. Let me make you more comfortable. We can't have you blabbing to that blond bimbo you call a partner, can we?'

The bleeps on the heart rate monitor attached to Starsky's chest started to increase. The numbers on the screen rose from 88 to 120 as Boone leaned over Starsky's body and grabbed the transfusion line. He peeled off the tape fixing it to Starsky's arm and ripped the needle out of the vein. Starsky let out a yip of pain and tried to bring his other arm up to fight off Boone. He was no match for the other, younger man however and Boone easily held him down as he stared into Starsky's eyes.

'I should have finished you quicker back there. It would have been a kindness. You're fucked anyway. Say bye bye Starsky. Maybe I'll see you on the other side huh?' As Boone continued to hold Starsky's gaze, he placed his hand firmly over Starsky's nose and moth and pressed down.

The brunet felt as though his lungs had shrivelled up and died. The pains in his chest receded as the overwhelming need for oxygen took over his consciousness. Starsky managed to bring his arm up, pushing Boone away with all his remaining strength, but he was no match for the younger cop. Added to his injuries, the pain meds that the doctors had fed him made his reactions slow and sluggish and his limbs felt like lead. The beats on the monitor topped out at 149 and still Boone cut off his air. Speckles of red showed around the periphery of Starsky's vision as Boone leaned into him, smiling down at him as he hissed 'Die damn you, die' into Starsky's ear and still the brunet's will to live kept him fighting.

The strength was leaving him now through. His arms fell away although he willed them with all his might to remain where they were. His lungs were on fire and Starsky heard a deep, low drumming in his ears as his body fought to use every bit of stored oxygen it had. His vision had closed down to a pinprick and still all he could see was Boone's laughing face.

They say that when you are about to die, your life flashes in front of your eyes. For Dave Starsky there was no momentary flash of inspiration. He didn't see a bright light and if he had have done, he would not have felt any inclination to walk towards it. No, Starsky was blazing mad that a young pipsqueak like Joe Boone should take him out in this pointless way. Anger consumed the brunet and yet at the back of his mind a still, small voice told him "Give it up. Rest. It's easier that way."

'Nooo' Starsky shouted back at the voice in his head, although a vague whisper was all Boone heard. The young cop could see the light going out in his victim's eyes. He'd never been so up close and personal to anyone he'd killed before. Always in the past he had used a gun, preferably a long distance shot and had felt little remorse at the death. This time, with his hand pressing down over Starsky's mouth, the proximity to death was almost too much. Boone hadn't expected that overwhelming look of recrimination in Starsky's eyes, or the look of anger on the brunet's face. The emotions he felt coming off his victim's body in waves were almost palpable in their intensity and instead of feeling empowered at taking another man's life, Boone felt sick to his stomach. For a brief moment, the younger man almost gave up. Only the thought of his ultimate arrest and years in jail kept him from lifting his hand and allowing Starsky to breathe.

Boone leaned in even closer. 'Give up the fight Starsky. Make it easy on yourself, why don't you? Just give up and die…..please?'

And in that moment the voice in Starsky's head said "ok". The brunet relaxed. His fight had gone. He'd done the best he could but he hurt so damned much. It wasn't fair. Life hadn't been fair. He should have been able to live into a full and frindship filled retirement with Hutch at his side and yet life seemed full of pain and emotions so raw that Starsky had no name for them. He'd had enough. He'd suffered enough. It was time to settle into the inevitable and Starsky let himself fall back into the long dark tunnel that had opened up to receive him. His last conscious thought as he plummeted down the black hole was, of course, Hutch.

Boone watched the light fading in the deep indigo eyes beneath him and his heart leaped. He'd done it. He'd carried out his plan and life from now on would be good. He'd be a hero and the brunet thorn in his side would be but a memory. His hand trembled against Starsky's mouth and nose as he leaned in for the last time.

'Bye Starsky. I wish I could say its been a pleasure knowing you.'


	19. Chapter 19

**My friends, i am publishing the final two chapters today because, volcanos permitting, I go on my holidays tomorrow. So whilst I am sitting by my Aunt's pool in sunny Florida, sipping marhgaritas and watching pelicans, i will be thinking of you. Thank you all for reading and taking the time to review.**

**Hugs, KW**

**Chapter 19**

'Sir? Is he ok?' What the hell?' the nurse came back into the small ER to see the blip on the cardiac monitor leaping wildly over the screen. As she rushed forwards, an alarm sounded and all hell broke loose.

Boone stepped back from the body, hoping against hope that he'd done enough. Whatever he'd thought about Starsky, whatever he'd heard, the guy had the constitution of an ox and simply refused to die easy. It had shaken the young cop to the core when he'd seen the anger in those indigo eyes so up close and personal. Death had always been a long distance affair up until now and despite his hopes of killing Starsky quickly, the reality of watching the death struggles of a fellow human being up close made Boone feel dirty and tainted.

The nurse turned back to him. 'What were you doing? What happened?'

'He just….he…..he wanted to tell me something and he couldn't speak loud so I was bent over him trying to make out what he was saying when he just…..just….oh my god is he dead?' Boone's performance would have won him an Oscar as he staggered back from the body on the gurney. Three or four other doctors had rushed into the room and were now busy working over Starsky as the alarm from the cardio monitor continued to shriek out into the otherwise controlled hum of noise in the room. The door burst open and Hutch stood just inside the room a look of horror on his face.

'Starsk' he whispered looking at the controlled frenzy around the gurney. He started to walk towards the table but the nurse held him back. 'Who are you?' she asked.

'Me….I'm his …. His p partner. Hutch….Detective Hu..Hutchinson' the blond man managed to force out.

The nurse looked confused. 'I thought….' She turned back to Boone. 'I thought you were Hutch?'

'I'm a friend too' Boone said defensively. His heart hammered in his chest and he kept casting a look over to the gurney and the doctors. Still the mantra continued in his head –_Die, damn you, die_- and still the doctors worked over Starsky. 'Will he make it?' Boone asked again just as the alarm cut off and was replaced by a loud, but steady beep from the monitor.

The nurse nodded. 'It looks like it' she said. 'It's really a little early to say, but they've got it under control. You should both wait outside.'

Boone grabbed her arm. 'No, I mean truly. Is he gonna be ok? I mean, will he be…. normal again? Like…..oxygen deprivation can cause all sorts of damage can't it?'

'Well, the doctors got to him in time. I don't think he was starved of oxygen for any length of time and like you say, that's usually what causes um…..abnormalities. It isn't for me to say, you should really speak to the doctors, but I think he's got a good chance of pulling through.'

It wasn't the news Boone wanted and the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach was suddenly back like a lead weight. He felt physically sick and a cold sweat broke out, sending trickles down his spine. A lifetime in jail. A lifetime of dodging Bay City's flakes who he and Patterdale had helped put there. He'd heard a story of another cop gone bad who'd been found dead in his cell with almost a pint of semen in his stomach and realised that he would be the weakest of the weak inside the penitentiary. It couldn't happen. It mustn't happen. It was hell on earth and right now he was running down perditions road, heading for purgatory central. Boone ran a hand over his forehead and swayed. 'I'm gonna have to go and sit down' he said weakly. 'Are you gonna be ok Hutch? Is there anything I can get ya?'

Hutch pulled his gaze from the table and back to the young cop. 'Huh? Oh um….yeah, yeah I'm fine. Thanks kid, thanks for….well, thanks. I'll come and find ya when he's settled and stable.'

The kindly words took on another meaning for Boone. "I'll come and find ya" translated in his overheated imagination to "I'm gonna hunt you down and kill you for what you've done to Starsky" and the younger man nodded. 'Sure thing' he mumbled as he hastily backed out of the ER on rubbery legs.

Hutch didn't even see him go. His eyes were all on the doctors working quietly over his partner. He was numb and in his head he heard the words "this can't be happening" and yet Hutch continued to watch with a stark feeling of deja vue. There was no ping pong ball this time, no race back to the hospital praying that he wouldn't be too late but there was the same sickening feeling of helplessness and the same thought that if anything happened to Starsky, then Hutch didn't want to remain in the world alone. Seconds expanded to minutes and then to hours as the world shrank to a pinpoint of light over the gurney. Reality was suspended as Hutch watched, powerless to help. Finally one of the medics broke away from the table and came over to the blond.

'Is he going to be ok?' Hutch asked.

'We're going to take him into the OR now. We'll fix his jaw and his ribs and check for any skull fractures but yes, I think he'll be just fine. His heart is strong and that's the main thing.'

'If it's so strong then why did he crash?' Hutch asked bitterly. Over the months he'd come to distrust what most medics told him.

'It wasn't his heart that gave out as much as he seemed to have been starved of oxygen, almost like he was suffocating. We can't find any physical reason for it, but we'll check that in the OR too.'

'Can I see him before he goes?' Hutch asked. A small warning bell was sounding in his head but of paramount importance was seeing Starsky again. The doctor nodded and Hutch walked over to the gurney.

Starsky's eyes were closed and a tube had replaced the oxygen mask, sending vital air directly into his lungs. Whatever had happened the brunet was out for the count and yet he looked peaceful. Hutch's hand wavered over his partner and finally settled on Starsky's hand. He took it and squeezed it gently and leaned over close to Starsky's ear. 'Don't you die on me, ya big lug. Do ya hear me? I'll be waiting in your room when you get back. Play nice with the doctors, huh? You're gonna make it.'

Hutch felt a twitch against the palm of his hand and knew that Starsky had heard him. Reluctantly he let go as the gurney was wheeled away and the nurse took him by the shoulders and guided him to a small room off the ER. She handed him a cup of coffee and left him alone with his thoughts.

Outside in the corridor, Boone was rushing blindly towards the door. He needed air because he felt as though his lungs were going to burst and his eyes pop. Starsky was still going to live and in his heart of hearts he knew he had very little chance of making another attempt on the brunet's life. As he made the main hallway and had the front door in sight, he was stopped by a large black body bearing down on him. Dobey had heard that Starsky was once more in the hospital and that Patterdale was dead and he'd headed straight down to Memorial. He saw Boone and stopped the young cop.

'Where you there? What happened? Is Starsky going to be ok?' he asked quickly.

Boone swallowed hard but knew he had to continue the lies. 'It was Clay. Clay was the mole. When I got there he had Starsky and was…. He's bad Captain. He's in the OR right now.'

Dobey wiped his white hanky over his face and sighed angrily. 'One man dead and another under the knife. Shit, what a day. I've had the IA climbing all over this one already. They need to see you like yesterday. You're the one who can give them the information straight because right now, for some reason, they just won't believe that Patterdale had gone bad. I want you back down at the Metro soon as Boone. Tell 'em what happened, coz they sure as hell need answers.'

Boone nodded and felt himself sway. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be happening. The IA? Shit, if anyone could get to the truth it would be Simmonetti and his pals. They were like blood hounds for god's sake! And it confirmed what Boone's suspicions had been for a while. Patterdale had already been to the IA about his, Boone's, activities. He knew his partner had been onto him for a while but he'd said nothing, trusting that his boss, Kim, would sort things out.

'I'll be right there' Boone said weakly. I'll um….I'm on my way. Anything to help.'

Dobey put his arm out and rested it on Boone's. 'You're a good Kid. You may have saved Starsky's life and for that we're all thankful. Now go, and make sure you give it to 'em straight.'

Boone headed for the door, rushed around the corner, found a quiet place and fell to his knees, upchucking until he could achieve nothing more than dry heaves. Weakly he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth, got to his feet and made his decision. Bay City had been good to him but now he was between a rock and a hard place. He could remain in his comfort bubble and hope he could convince the IA that he was the innocent party, or he could take the leap out into the big wide world and rely on Kim to give him a new identity in a new State. Realising that he had a snowballs chance in hell of convincing the IA, Kim flagged down a cab and sat down tiredly in the back as the car took him back to the Royal Phoenix.

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Hutch eased himself off the chair and stretched his arms high above his head. He arched his back and walked over to the window to watch the new dawn turning the sky a milky blue. The staff had been kind enough to bring a comfortable easy chair into Starsky's room for him. It wasn't as comfortable as a bed, but the blond cop had slept a little after his partner had been brought back from the OR. The surgeons had worked over Starsky for four hours. They'd dealt with his dislocated jaw and his broken ribs. The knife had punctured his left lung that had been a little problematic in that they had had to re-inflate it not twice but three times. Even now, Starsky had the drainage tube poking out from between the bandages surrounding his chest, attaching him to a vacuum bottle, just in case the same thing happened again. Skull xrays had showed no fracture although the brunet was concussed and although his face was still incredibly bruised, already some of the swelling was going down and there would be no permanent detriment to either Starsky's sight or hearing. The brunet had slept for a full eleven hours after coming back from the OR and Hutch had been with him the whole time.

There was a movement on the bed and the steady bleeping of the monitor sped up. Hutch turned away from the window just in time to see a crescent of indigo blue beneath heavy eyelids. He walked back to the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress.

Starsky's eyes fluttered open, closed and then opened again. They focussed on Hutch who was about to say something he knew was incredibly soapy. Starsky got there first. 'M'hungry' he rasped through his bone dry throat.

'Well good morning to you too' Hutch grinned. There was never a great deal that would keep his partner from food for very long. He held a straw to Starsky's lips and was rewarded with a grimace.

'Water? Is that all I get?'

'Hey you know the score buddy. Water first and then, if you're a real good boy, you'll get jell-o for lunch.'

Starsky shifted in bed and grimaced as the drain pulled at his side. He didn't bother asking what he'd done to himself. Experience told him he'd know soon enough. 'What time is it?'

'Day time. It's about 7.30' Hutch replied.

'Jeez, I don't even get a lie in.' Starsky paused, thinking. He hurt enough to know that he hadn't just taken a brief nap. 'What day is it?'

Hutch snorted. 'It's tomorrow. They brought you in yesterday afternoon. How're ya feelin'?'

'Not bad, considering.' Starsky closed his eyes. He felt warm and relaxed but knew that was the drugs. When they wore off….. he'd deal with that later. A thousand questions ran through Starsky's head. He needed to know what had happened to Boone, to Patterdale's body, to Jade and to Kim and yet his jaw ached fiercely and talking was tough. But some questions needed to be asked and sooner rather than later.

'Hutch, I….' Starsky was interrupted by a nurse knocking on the door to his room. Hutch turned as she smiled at him.

'Detective Hutchinson? There's an urgent phone call for you. From a Captain Dobey?'

Hutch got up stiffly. 'I'll be right back' he said quietly. 'Don't go anywhere, huh?' The blond followed the nurse down to the nurses station and took the phone. 'Hutchinson.'

Dobey's voice sounded down the phone. 'How's Starsky?'

'Hungry. What's new?'

There was a snort down the phone. 'That's great news.'

'Did you phone just to ask about Starsk?' Hutch asked, catching some quality to Dobey's voice that told him no.

There was a brief sigh. 'No. I need you down at the Royal Phoenix as of yesterday. Take whoever you want with you, but bring me Kim's head on a platter.'

'What's happened? What's gone down? Let me phone Boone, I'm sure he'll want another shot at Kim, especially after what Kim and Patterdale have been up to.'

'Not Boone, Hutchinson. We're too late for that. That's why I want you down there now. Joe Boone's body was found in the dock an hour ago. His throat had been ripped out.'

**Chapter 20**

Hutch put down the phone and turned to the nurse. 'Tell him I'll be back soon. I have business to take care of' he muttered, trying to control his anger. The nurse nodded and the blond cop headed for the door. Kim had struck again and now another young cop had met an untimely end. When would it end? Hutch broke into a run as he made his way outside. The parking lot was quiet at that time of morning and Hutch got into his car and found the keys above the sun visor where Boone had left them. He started the car and turned in the direction of down town and the Royal Phoenix and as he drove Hutch complied his list of questions for the family in general and Kim in particular – if he could contain his anger long enough to ask them. Maybe it would be better if Kim put up a fight and was "accidentally" fatally injured whilst resisting arrest. Ten minutes later, with his temper still at boiling point, he pulled up outside the restaurant and got out.

Hutch glanced at his watch. It was a little before nine and the restaurant was once more closed to the world, sleeping after a night of revelry. It didn't stop the cop from walking up to the front door and hammering on it thunderously. He paused, waiting and then knocked again. Of course, there was no answer and in desperation Hutch tried the door with his shoulder. It gave, surprisingly, and he pushed his way inside, gun at the ready as his eyes became accustomed to the semi darkness.

Inside, the set up was much the same as it had been on the previous visits. Tables stood dressed and ready for the next night, chairs were neatly placed and the glasses gleamed dully on the tables and yet there was an abandoned quality to the place –as though the building was sulking because no-one was paying it any attention.

Hutch hugged the shadows as he looked around. The place was quiet as the grave with not a sign of life anywhere. Cautiously he made his way to the back of the restaurant and pushed open the door to the kitchens. Again, he found the room deserted, the gleaming stainless steel ranges idle and waiting, the only noise being the steady hum of the refrigerators.

The cop backed out of the kitchen and was about to open the door to the living quarters when he heard a noise. Quickly Hutch backed back into the kitchen and peered through the small round porthole window, his gun at the ready. Through the dimness of the restaurant he saw the living room door open and a small boy look about him before running for the door. The boy was followed by, of all people, Rats McGuiness, one of his and Starsky's best snitches.

Hutch opened the door quietly, aimed the gun and hissed "freeze" across the room. Rats froze instantly and his hands reached skywards.

'Don't shoot' the little man said quietly. 'I aint got no gun.'

Hutch approached him carefully, his gun still aimed and with one hand patted Rats down. Happy that the snitch had been telling the truth Hutch stood back. 'Nice to see you Rats, but it's a little early for a Chinese isn't it?'

The little man turned and chuckled hesitantly. 'It was open and I just…. Well you know how it is Mr Hutch. I was just being neighbourly and making sure the place wasn't burgled. Honest.'

Hutch grinned. 'You've never said an honest thing in your life Rats. Why start now? This isn't your kinda place. What's with the snoopin'?'

Rats pulled himself up straighter. 'I'm hurt that you don't believe me Mr Hutch. I'm a good citizen I am!'

'With a record longer than my arm, yeah, but that don't answer my question. The guy that lives here's a martial arts champion. Don't that scare ya some?'

'Lived here. The man that lived here' Rats corrected.

'Huh? What do you mean?'

The little snitch sighed as though he was having to explain a simple problem to a first grader. 'They moved out. All of 'em. I watched 'em do it. Lock, stock and Chinese barrel. They loaded cases and stuff into a car in the early hours and drove off.

'You sure?'

The smaller man raised his eyebrows. 'D'ya really think I'd be in here if there was a chance they'd come back?'

Hutch sank down onto one of the chairs, reality hitting him in the face like a cold shower of water. Shit. Kim had done what he'd told the young Chinese to do. He'd gone in exchange for telling Hutch where his partner was and now Hutch was left with nothing and another young cop was dead. And it was Hutch's fault. Hutch's fault for needed his partner back more than doing the job correctly. Hutch's fault for putting his partner first and the flakes second. The blond felt a pounding in his temples and a sick feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. His protective feelings for his partner had got in the way of the job. It was one thing to watch Starsky's back but Hutch had become more than a cop partner. He'd become nurse, confident, shrink, doctor, friend, brother and full time carer. None of the list included cop partner and it was a painful realisation to Hutch that his feelings for Starsky and the close connection that he and the brunet shared had got in the way of catching Kim.

Angrily the blond cop got up and reached for the phone. He dialled the Metro's number and asked Minnie Caplan to patch him through to LAX in the hope that the cops there might detain Kim and his family for him. The news, when it came, was not good. Air China flight CH102 to Beijing had taken off ten minutes earlier, and yes the passenger manifest showed 4 passengers by the name of Mu Yong, Kim's real family name. Obviously Kim had tracked his sister down and had taken her with him. There was no-one left to catch, interrogate and punish for Boone's death, the corruption of Clay Patterdale and Starsky's kidnap and injuries. With a curse, Hutch replaced the telephone and walked blindly out into the morning sunshine leaving Rats McGuiness to wonder what the hell was happening.

Hutch got into the car and headed back to the hospital, his heart heavy and his head stuffed with recriminations. When he ran a red light and heard the angry honking of horns behind him, the blond man realised he had to pull himself together for at least as long as it took to get back to Starsky's bedside. After that, who knows what would happen?

Parking up again in Memorial's parking lot Hutch sat quietly staring out of the grimy windshield and the comings and goings of the hospital. Everyone was getting on with their lives, oblivious to the fact that Hutch's head was in turmoil. No-one knew how he was feeling and probably, if he told them, no-one would care. He'd fucked up the job and there was no other way to think about it. He'd been so keen, so eager to be back out on the streets with Starsky by his side that he'd let his feelings of euphoria cloud his judgement. His driver in the past twelve months had been to regain normality and that normality for him and the brunet was working the central city, together. It had never really crossed Hutch's mind to question whether Starsky would become fit enough to do that – the curly haired man was strong and would recover, no questions asked. And Hutch had never really sat down and thought about how he would feel once he'd regained this illusion of "normality". In his head, things would be exactly as they had been before Gunther and yet reality didn't measure up. The blond admitted that he was more exhausted after this six weeks than he had been the entire time of looking after his partner's recovery whilst holding down his day job. The strain of making sure Starsky was ok; not overdoing things; taking his meds; doing his exercises. It all added up to more worry and more stress and Hutch questioned himself for the first time in his life. What was more important? The job, or his partner?

There was only one answer, but for Hutch he couldn't quite bear to admit it to himself. He needed time to think and time to talk it over with Starsky. Whether the brunet would like the conversation was a different thing entirely.

Wearily Hutch hauled himself out of the car and plodded across the parking lot and into the big building. He waited by the elevator, jabbing his finger at the button repeatedly and when the car finally arrived and the doors opened, Dobey got out.

'Well? Did you get 'em?' the big black man asked.

'No.'

Dobey geared himself up for the inevitable yelling. 'Why? What happened? What the fuck messed up this time?' his voice rose by a couple of decibels.

'Not now Cap'n.' Hutch said quietly.

'Yes now. I need answers Hutchinson. I have the IA climbing all over this one and…'

Hutch rounded on his Captain, his face white with anger. 'I said not now' he ground out.

'Don't gimme that attitude. I'm not one of your snitches. I need answers and I need 'em now.'

'So do I Cap. Just gimme some time huh?'

'We don't have time. I want you to get out there and…'

'Kim's gone. His family has gone. Back to China' Hutch said bitterly.

'What the….? How? Why? Hutchinson you got some explaining to….'

For the first time in his police life Hutch's anger spilled over and he grabbed Dobey by the collar and pushed the big man back against the wall, his arm across Dobey's neck. 'Shudup. Just shudup and leave it. I said not now, ok?' Hutch's ice blue eyes shone with anger and met troubled brown ones. Had it been one of the other men and not Hutch, Dobey would have been blazing mad and would have arrested his man there and then. But this was Hutch and the blond cop had been through so much, and, Dobey admitted to himself, he and Starsky were special. He let the assault go, but pushed Hutch away roughly.

'You'd better have a damned good explanation' he gruffed.

Hutch pushed his way into the elevator car. 'Later' he forced out as the car door closed. He stood with his back against the wall, staring at his reflection in the stainless steel. Years added to the character in his face. The hair was still short and baby soft although his moustache had long gone, as had the spare inches around his middle. Hutch was as svelte as he had been at 19 although in his head, he felt 99. He sighed as the doors whooshed open and he got out, heading for Starsky's room. As Hutch passed the nurses station one of the women peeled off from a small group.

'Detective Hutchinson? Wait up. I just wanted to explain.'

Hutch turned. 'Explain what? Is Starsky ok?'

The nurse smiled. 'He's fine, or he would be if he'd stay put. When we told him you'd gone he waited until he was alone, disconnected his drips and we found him trying to make his way down the hallway. We tried to stop him but he kept saying he had something you needed to know. Unfortunately he wasn't up to escape plans and he collapsed as we were trying to get him back to bed. The doctor gave him something to make him sleep for a while.'

'Is he fit enough for me to see him?'

'I think he'll rest better once he has seen you. Go right ahead.'

The blond cop walked down the hallway and stopped outside the door to Starsky's room, his heart heavy about the conversation he knew he had to have. Squaring his shoulders, he pushed the door open and walked in.

Starsky was once more in bed, but this time propped up on pillows and the drain had disappeared from his side. He looked pale, but better than previously. Hutch drew a chair up to the bed and sat down.

The small noise alerted the brunet to the fact that someone was n his room and he forced his heavy eyelids open. 'You're back' he mumbled.

Hutch snickered. 'You should've been a detective.'

Starsky pushed himself further up in bed and rubbed gingerly at his bruised face. 'I needed to tell you sumthin…..before you left.'

'I believe you tried the great escape.'

'It's about Boone. He…'

Hutch interrupted. 'Boone's dead.'

'You shot him? Did he try for you too?' Starsky asked.

'Shot him? No! Why would I do that? He saved your life buddy. He was the one who told me who the mole was.'

Starsky shook his head slowly. 'Whatever that slimy bastard told ya, it aint the truth. Who do ya think did this to me?'

'He told me Patterdale did' Hutch said softly, feeling ten shades of a fool.

'And you believed him? He watched as Kim battered Clay to death. Boone was the mole, not Pat. I needed you to now before you went chargin' off. I needed you to…. o be safe.'

Hutch nodded. 'That's our problem isn't it?'

'Problem? How?'

'That's what allowed Kim to get away…..and Jade and the rest of 'em.'

Starsky shifted in the bed. 'They got away? How? What aren't ya tellin' me? How did you find me anyhow?'

The blond looked down at his hands and sighed softly. 'I cut him a deal.'

'A…. Oh shit buddy. Oh tell me you're….. what did ya do Hutch? What did you tell him? Please don't say….'

Hutch looked up, his eyes blazing. 'What the fuck was I supposed to do Starsk, huh? I've spent the past 12 months worrying about you – how you eat, how ya drink, whether you've got your pain under control. The day you got shot in the garage, a piece of me died too and I …. I c couldn't b bear….I couldn't…. What would you have done huh? Would you have let your b best f friend die coz of some lousy job?'

'You let him go coz of me?' Starsky asked quietly.

'And I'd do I again in a heartbeat. I c can't live this way any more Starsk. I c can't go home at night and worry about whether we're gonna get through the next 24 hours without one of us catchin' a bullet. I c can't…..I won't do it…'

Starsky reached out a hand. It hovered over Hutch's and then grasped the blond's hand in his own. 'I'd feel the same way Blintz and truth to tell, I've spent the past few days wonderin' if I'm up to this sit any more too. I could've killed ya with that bullet. I slow ya down –and don't deny it.'

Hutch looked up. 'Don't be crazy. You're as fast as you ever were.'

'Maybe, but for how long? When Boone had me in that chair, I tell ya, there was a while where I just wanted to give up. It would have been easier than goin' through all the hurt again, and I know this is gonna sound soapy, but it was you that got me through. The thought of you bein' alone. So yeah, I know how you feel, coz I feel like that too.'

The blond raised his eyebrows. 'So you're sayin' we quit?'

'I'm sayin' we think long and hard about the future – our future.'

'Shit. I already punched Dobey today. What'd he do if we handed in our notice.'

'You punching Dobey?'

Hutch snickered. 'It was only a little punch. But you're sayin' we quit?'

Starsky snorted. 'I said we think about it mushbrain. We take our time and we evaluate what's important. We prioritise and we decide from there.'

'There's a hell of a lot of long words there Starsk.'

The brunet smiled. 'The nightstand had a back copy of Readers Digest.'

'So we wait, and we make a decision later?' Hutch asked.

Starsky nodded. 'We're both jaded. We need time and maybe a vacation and then we decide. Deal?'

Hutch nodded slowly. 'Deal, but is bank robbing in Bolivia still lucrative?'

'Who knows. Right now I'm not thinking past the next cup of coffee, so long as I can get my mouth open enough to drink.'

'I knew this cloud would have a silver lining.'

It was Starsky's turn to cock his head on one side. 'Silver lining?'

'Uh huh. Sore jaw equals silence for a while. I'm gonna enjoy it while I can' Hutch smiled.

'Hm. I thought you said I was your best friend…..brother…..partner?'

'Yup. Silent partner. Shudup partner and go to sleep. We have big decisions to make. When you wake'

A gentle snore answered him and Hutch looked fondly at the sleeping man. 'Love ya man' he whispered under his breath 'Whatever we end up doin, I love ya.'


End file.
